


Small, for a qunari

by the_raven_called_iceveins



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Avvar, Drunken Shenanigans, Eventual Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Future Romance, Getting high, Graphic Description of Corpses, Humour, Jealousy, Modern Girl in Thedas, Multi, Romance, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, all of the DA2 companions are making an appearance, smoking elfroot, the inquisitor likes swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-26 08:57:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 64
Words: 110,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14398674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_raven_called_iceveins/pseuds/the_raven_called_iceveins
Summary: Katari, an usually small qunari wants nothing more than to decipher the meaning of her dreams and discover who she was before the Valo-kas found her bleeding out on a snowy ferelden mountainside. When a dream of a great green hole in the sky becomes shockingly real she decides to warn the Herald of yet another future danger. Will she discover who she is? And what will come from her growing relationship with Solas?(chapter 62 has been extended)





	1. a travelling companion

The warm ambiance of the tavern was briefly interrupted by a rush of cold snowy wind as the door swung open, however, no one paid any heed to the cloaked figure’s arrival; not when you had a lap full of company and a belly full of ale. The figure found their way through the boisterous crowd- as easily as one walks through a field of long grass- until they reached the bar.

 

The bar Hand was a dwarf boasting the fiercest red mane that one had ever seen, it was clearly something he was proud of; he stroked his hand across leisurely from time to time, pausing briefly to glance at quiet one who approached. His gaze was somewhat wary but otherwise friendly, he saw no sense in turning away a possible customer, with a dirty cloth in one hand and a tankard in the other he asked

“Can I get you anything sonny?” His gaze followed the figures gloved hand as it reached into a coin purse before is re-emerged with three coppers,

“An ale if you would be so kind.” the voice was soft yet slightly raw from the cold, they gently slid the coins across the bar. The dwarf curiously examined the figure before nodding and turning to the keg behind him,

“Don’t see many new folk around here” he placed the tankard on the counter “just passing through?” he asked conversationally, there was a pregnant pause before The figure answered,

“Aye.”  the on syllable was said slowly as if the response might cause offence.

 

Before the dwarf could say anymore they had taken the tankard and had disappeared back into the crowd. The dwarf shrugged before wiping down the bar- at least they paid.

 

The figure sat at a table in the back corner, furthest away from the fire- where most people had gathered. They did not take their hood down, nor did they remove their gloves. Anyone who might have been taken any notice of them might have thought them to have been hiding something- but no one did. The figure had been watching the tavern over the rim of their tankard for at least an hour, observing the merry townsfolk illuminated in the blaze of the roaring fire. It was a small village where everyone knew everyone, were it not for the drink more would have cast a suspicious eye in their direction and would have received at least one interrogation.

 

The villagers seemed to be enjoying the peace now that the fighting templars and mages had been called to the conclave which would be taking place in a weeks time, save for a few stragglers the traveling through ferelden had been quiet as of late.

 

Near the fire some men had been getting particularly rowdy, coarse, crass jokes devoid of wit fell from their mouths and women in the tavern avoided them like the plague, the figure debated whether it was the ir manner or their stench that repelled them so, looking at them is could have been either.  There were a number of younger folk drinking too; some of which looked barely old enough to handle the stuff- few of them were for that matter. There was however a pretty young thing near the bar chatting amicably with the bar keep, with pretty redhead full of hair and a tiny waist that flared gloriously into a set of wide hips. ‘In another life’ thought the figure good-naturedly, it was then they felt a set of eyes on them, lingering on the ever so slight way their hood rested oddly on their head and the way it sat upon their chest. It seemed that finally one of

the villagers had cottoned on, the figure thought it best to leave before anymore did too, sparing a glance to the window- the snow had stopped-  the figure rose to their feet and made their way to the door.

The stood barely an inch taller than most humans in the bar- they were smaller than some. They navigated the ever moving crowd with the same ease they had when the entered, as they moved past the fire however one of the loud men had stumbled into them. The man rose wobbily to his feet staggering as he jabbed a finger at them,

“Oi! Watch it why don’ ya?” he exhaled a foul-smelling breath as the figure bowed their head in their direction

“My apologies.” The figure went to move past them,

“Hey! I’m still talkin’ to ya!” They had drawn a small crowd now so the figure continued to the door just as the mans large hand reached out and grabbed her hood.

 

The tavern fell into complete silence once the hood had fallen from the figures head to reveal a thick thatch of white hair and a set of small grey horns. The man had stumbled back in surprise, clearly expecting a human.

 

She was incredibly small for a qunari, barely the same height as some of the men in the tavern, that, however, is where her similarities to humans ended, her skin was not pink, brown or even grey as one might have expected but a shocking white- almost as white as her hair. Her lips were a soft pink and her ears were pointed slightly, her eyes too were odd; silvery grey with a flash of bright red around the pupil, which was now expanding in thinly veiled rage.

 

“Choose your next words wisely human.”  her voice was just as soft as before yet it cut through the room like a knife and yet again she felt the same eyes upon her as before. The human in question, however, had quickly forgotten his shock and had quickly found his pride,

“Think you can harm me, Oxman? Just try!” everyone saves for the man and his friend cleared the floor like it was on fire, The woman slowly pulled back her cloak to reveal a whole armory on her person,

“I just might human if you give me a reason, luckily for you I don’t kill people for stupidity alone.”

To everyone's surprise, a warm chuckle echoed from the corner, A tanned elf emerged from the crowd, his blond hair was tied back to reveal a charming grin and a tattooed cheek.

“Now three on one might be a little unfair now wouldn’t it?” his voice was accented yet it did nothing to the anticipation in his voice; this was a man who enjoyed fighting. He entered the space like he owned it, swaggering confidently to the woman's side- who spared a quick glance to him before returning her gaze to the three in front of her drawing a long dagger from its sheath just as the elf drew his twin swords. She examined the elf once more, he was scarred and toned from years of fighting, the men in front were but burly drunk farmers, she grinned cheekily before glancing at him.

“Two on three eh? Should we give them a chance to surrender?” The elf flirted in response

“Merciful and mysterious? Aren’t I lucky?” Before any real fighting could begin however the bar keep had stormed between them, face nearly as red as his beard 

“I’ll have no fighting in my tavern! You two out!” he said pointing his finger as the elf and qunari, the qunari was out the door in seconds, to her surprise the elf followed her. He caught up to her and gave a sweeping bow, The woman rose a brow in surprise.

“Zevran Arainai at your service, I did not introduce myself inside.” when she was silent Zevran looked up with a teasing smile,

“Usually one names themselves during introductions. “ To his surprise, the woman just put up her hood and walked off into the snow, he blinked before running over to his horse in the stables.

 

She had been trudging through the snow for around five minutes when she heard hooves pounding behind her and in a second The elf was alongside her- grinning.

 

“You didn’t give me your name,” he said, his elven eyes glowing slightly in the dark. The woman grumbled, readjusting her pack.

“I have no intention of doing so.” This seemed to interest Zevran even more, he was leaning so far out of his saddle she half-expected him to fall off.

“And why is that?” she stopped and faced him

“I’m not in the habit of trusting complete strangers.” she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, Zevran looked genuinely confused

“Usually helping someone out of kindness warrants trust.” he said

“you had no reason for helping me at all?”  she said unbelieving of a single word he said, Zevran grinned

“Not entirely no, I must say you are the first female qunari I've seen. I’m curious Are they all as short as you? The one I travelled with was huge.” he shot her a disarming grin, she shot him with a a sharp glare.

“No, they are not.”  He grinned even wider

“So you are just fun sized then?” The questions continued for at least half an hour- they appeared unending.

“Leave me alone.” she hissed.

“Come on, it’s cold out here and I’ve got a horse, you can ride with me. Free of charge.” he reached out his hand smiling, he was used to getting what he wanted. The woman seemed to think for a moment, glancing at the sky ; the stars were out. She grumbled something along the lines of ‘alright’ and moved towards the horse but Zevran waved a finger,

“Ah ah ah, your name first.”  

“It’s Katari,” she said, ignoring his hand and pulling herself onto the horse behind him. She rested his hand around his waist.

“Well Katari I must say you have taken my breath away.” what an insufferable flirt.

“It’s funny you say that.” Zevran puffed out his chest,

“Oh?” Katari grinned

“Yes, I’m about to punch you in the throat.” a startled laugh was his response as they trotted off into the hillside.

The birth of a beautiful friendship.

  



	2. getting to know you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari reveals more of who she is to Zevran, revealing something very interesting indeed.

Katari had been traveling with the elf for two days- two days longer than she had expected, The flirty antivan had grown on her and she had begun to trust him a little- when she woke with a start. Sparks dancing manically between white fingertips. Lifting an arm to her forehead she wiped away a cold sweat.

“I didn’t know you were a mage Katari.” came Zevran's voice from beside the fire, she breathed -a glance to the sky told her that it was early morning. Zevran had been on watch and did not seem alarmed by the purple sparks coming from his sleeping companion. In passing, he had mentioned once that he had traveled with mages before and a qunari, though, Her horns seemed to be fascinating to him - apparently, the one he traveled with hadn’t had them.  
“In all honesty, I had thought it to be a myth- the horns I mean- just another rumor.” he had said, Zevran was always asking questions about them, asking to touch them on many occasions but she ducked away playfully each time he tried. The elven man had been interested to learn that her horns were relatively unusual as she had two small ones under the larger two. The elf told her how his last qunari companion had lived under the qun but said very little about it; which explained why he was so curious.

“It doesn’t exactly come up in a conversation often,” she said running a hand through her hair. He poked the smoldering logs with a stick,  
“True, I had assumed that you were a rogue,” he said, gesturing to the daggers beside her pillow. She moved to sit across from him,  
“Technically I am.” Zevran raised a brow, “Using magic is abnormally draining for me- at least that’s what I’m told- I can’t use it and fight at the same time and weapons came to be easier.” Zevran seemed to be contemplating what she said,  
“But you can use it?” he asked,                                                                                                                                                                             “yeah, to light fires or create little tricks.” At the mention of tricks, Zevran looked intrigued  
“Show me one of your tricks,” he asked, Katari contemplated it for a moment before Zevran heard a rustle in a bush behind him, he turned around alarmed, he reached for his swords only to realize one was missing, Katari’s chuckle made him spin on the spot- she had it. “What- how?” his expression was almost comical, Katari beckoned him to sit back down before handing the sword back. He sat back down “That was one of your tricks?” he said enthusiastically  
“Yes, entropy magic- and sleight of hand.” Zevran chuckled  
“A rogue who uses magic? Sneaky.” looking at her now, however, she did indeed look drained, as if she had just moved a boulder or some other heavy object. ‘how odd’ thought Zevran before he checked on her  
“Are you alright?” she waved him off                                                                                                                                                                            “I am merely tired. As I said it takes a lot of energy - it makes a weak mage of me.” Zevran paused for a moment,  
“There is something else I’ve been meaning to ask you about,” he said, Katari groaned,  
“If this I about my horns or my height, I Swear-” Zevran furrowed his brows  
“No, it’s not that. It just that- this is the second day since I’ve been traveling with you and It’s the second time you’ve awoken with one of those dreams. I can’t help but wonder why?” Katari put her head back in her hands- running them through the snowy mass upon her head. He started to speak “You do not have to, you’re not the first I’ve met whos memories trouble them, In fact-” but she cut him off,  
“They’re not memories- at least I don’t think so.” Zevran frowned in confusion,  
“What do you mean?” Katari’s eyes glazed over.  
“I’m not quite sure exactly, I- sometimes I dream of strange places, moving paintings and impossible buildings; huge towers, so tall they almost touch the sky ...and then other things.” Zevran was confused- little of what she said made sense but then again the fade was a strange place, the incident at the Ferelden circle had taught him that much. Unlike him, however, she was a mage- Perhaps the spirits just chose to torment her in her sleep? He Kindly encouraged her anyway  
“These other things?” Katari looked at him before looking down at his feet,  
“So much is indecipherable but...I saw a boy slowly starve in a dungeon, A woman stealing a book, someone teaching children in a room of stone - a mage I think. So many brief nonsensical things but the same people appear over and over -it’s maddening.”

There was a heavy silence hanging on them before she spoke again, hands shaking slightly,  
“But this dream it- it was clear and intense.” Zevran had been mulling the things she had said over and They were unlike anything a mage had described to him before,  
“This one was particularly bad? Did you see anyone-” He stopped mid-sentence when Katari looked up at him, the red rings enlarged with her pupils. Katari put her head in her hands again,  
“It wasn’t a person. It was a dragon but it looked ...sick- tormented. Then a man in gold armor showed up and killed it and when it screeched; it went right through me I-” She did not look up at the antivan so she did not see how his bronze skin turned a sickly shade and his eyes opened wide.

Thinking about this hurt. This dream sounded all too familiar- he had been there after all. What she had described was surely the archdemon- it was not something he would soon forget. Alistair… his armor had been gold. He swallowed dryly, Unable to process what he had just heard, Katari had no idea what she had just seen was something that was very real. Zevran had heard of the seers of Rivain- he had bedded one once- but their visions came from spirit possessions- not dreams, perhaps she was a seer of another kind or… or Zevran was simply blowing this out of proportion. He was being too rash, what he had heard had just shocked him- it had dredged up those old memories- yes, that was it. He knew he had to say something,  
“I’m sorry to hear that such images torment you,” he said and he meant it, genuinely. The old Zevran would have laughed at him, A mighty crow sympathizing with some woman who had nightmares? But his time with Brosca had changed him, she had changed everyone who had traveled with her- she was that kind of person. He missed her deeply.

Katari threw him an exhausted smile,  
“It’s alright, I have grown somewhat accustomed to them.”

Guilt rose up in him for not saying anything - it just felt so wrong. Before he could respond, however, she rose to her feet, rolled up her bedroll and stuffed it into her pack,  
“How long before we reach the hinterlands?” she asked, Zevran snapped out of his thoughts, He pointed to the east with the stick he had been prodding the fire with,  
“Not long- perhaps not even a day provided we don’t run into trouble.” She nodded before smiling  
“I doubt that we will avoid trouble, we have terrible luck; In the last two days, we have encountered seventeen bandits, two rogue Templars, a crazed blood mage and one very hungry bear. ” Zevran chuckled, also getting to his feet.  
“What can I say? Trouble follows me wherever I go- and it has been fun fighting with you… your particular style is unique” He checked the horse’s shoes and saddle before grabbing his pack and swinging atop the horse with ease.

Katari stomped out the fire, raising an eyebrow  
“If that's your way of saying demented- I am perfectly capable of walking the rest of the way.” Zevran clutched a hand to his chest as if injured,  
“You wound me fair maiden!” he said with a hand to his brow, the elf certainly had a flair for the dramatic. “ and I’ll have you know that we fight quite well together.” she heaved herself up onto the horse behind him as they trotted through the trees.

Zevran (as he always did) had more questions,  
“Is there any particular reason as to why you were traversing the snowy hillsides of Ferelden alone when we met?.” Katari thought for a moment, she trusted the elf enough to tell him- It wasn’t even a secret really.  
“A year ago I woke up surrounded by Tal Vashoth mercenaries with no memories. They said The had found me lying on the ground, bleeding to death. I had been hoping that by traveling near where they had found me- I would remember something.” Zevran halted the horse, turning to face her- well as much as one can while sharing a saddle- Zevran was on the receiving end of way too many surprises today.  
“For a whole year? And you can’t remember anything?” Katari nodded, flicked his eyes over her face to see if there was any trace of deception, frowning when he found none. He clicked his tongue- prompting the horse to move again. The two trotted off into the distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another installment! I hope this isn't going too slowly for people, If it is or if you have any other suggestions feel free to say so in the comments, I'm all ears!


	3. inner child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> katari and zevran stop at an inn- childishness ensues

Zevran grinned with a wave of his hand,

“Welcome to the hinterlands” There wasn’t much to see, most of the people living there had fled when the fighting had started and the landscape bared the scars. Every now and then they would pass a rotting corpse, flies eagerly buzzing in and out of the helmet of a dead templar or a mage barely recognisable as a person- eyelids and tongue swollen with decay with mottled purple limbs were the blood had run after it had stopped flowing. Unfortunately it was not a foreign sight to neither Zevran or Katari, both of them had dealt death to another on many occasions, It clearly wasn’t to the locals either- nobody turned an eye to the bodies rotting in the sun. Katari started breathing through her mouth- while an elf’s sense of hearing was much more acute than a human, a qunari’s sense of smell was very attuned- she could tolerate the smell, but she never got used to it. She decided to strike up a conversation to distract herself from it. 

“So, Zevran why are you in ferelden?” Zevran turned slightly,

“Oh? So you’re asking questions now? Either you’ve finally succumbed to my charms or you’re incredibly bored.” Katari rolled her eyes.

“The latter and you didn’t answer the question.” she said prodding him in the back with her finger, to which Zevran chuckled

“If you were a man I would have asked if you had a dagger in your pocket or if you’re just glad to see me.” She smacked him on the shoulder,

“The question Zevran.” he paused for a moment mulling over his response

“As you may have gathered, my profession isn’t exactly legal.” it was Katari’s turn to chuckle.

“Isn’t exactly?” said Katari, zevran would have laughed at her raised eyebrow; it was quickly becoming her signature expression,

“Okay, completely illegal. Any way, like I was saying before  _ someone  _ so rudely interrupted, when I was travelling here a few years ago I made a few friends- I owe one of them a favour.” Katari seemed satisfied with the answer for she didn’t pry any further. 

 

The two had rode in an comfortable silence until they came through a small hamlet along the road. There could not have been more than six houses and a barn crammed together near a barn. There was nothing unusual about the place, it looked like every other village they had passed by- apart from one thing. In Katari’s entire year of travel she had never seen any children aside from the odd teenager- which was hardly surprising those with children had fled when the fighting broke out or kept them well protected but there she saw two children tumbling through the grass in pursuit of a fennec. She wasn’t sure exactly how it made her feel, they were so… tiny. She could not recall a single memory from her own childhood or the sight of any child from her past, so she sat in slight wonder at them, contemplating the fact that once upon a time she had been a child too. How did it feel to be so care free? So innocent? 

 

In the first of the few memories she had, She was familiar only with a few things- survival, violence and oddly enough… smoking. It had amused Shokrakar greatly when the small and seemingly innocent qunari rolled a spliff for herself so competently yet had little experience with anything else beside violence. The months she had spent with the Valo Kas mercenaries were the best months of her life; they had taken to her instantly, Her tiny stature must have triggered paternal instincts or something. Shokrakar had been particularly protective- he was a hard ass though with a quick wit and a short temper. Kaariss had her best friend most definitely, he fancied himself a poet and philosopher- particularly after she had let him share a joint or two with her- he had also taught her to read and write the written language. She could not help but worry for them (not that she would ever say so out loud), at the conclave they would surrounded by hostile humans and chantry members, on situation they would never have chosen to be in were it not for the pay.  

 

Zevran must have been aware of her musings,

“A copper for your thoughts?” Katari scoffed,

“Only a copper? Nice to know how valuable my thoughts are to you.” They did this often, their banter was an unspoken signal for when they didn’t want to talk about something- neither  minded, they both had their secrets and appreciated the fact they remained secrets, it was probably why the two had got on so quickly after Katari’s initial frostiness wore off.

 

It was about an hour later before they reached the cross roads, The sun hanging low on the sky- shadows stretching dramatically across the ground. Zevran looked around, there were a few people milling around,

“It is not a good idea to sleep outside when so many people are around- we’d be safer inside an inn.” Katari subconsciously tugged her hood even further down.

“That is not a very good Idea for me Zevran, I will sleep outside.” Zevran directed the horse to an inn a few hundred yards off, 

“Don’t be ridiculous Katari, Just keep your hood up and I’ll do the talking.” she grumbled something along the lines of ‘don’t blame me when..’ and a ‘angry mob’ Zevran laughed,

“Nothing of the sort will happen dear Katari”  She jumped off the horse after him. She then waited by the inn door as he lead the horse into the stables. A second later he returned, swinging an arm around her shoulder he whispered,

“Play along.” he adjusted her hood before leading her through the Inn door.

 

The warmth was a pleasant change from the crisp ferelden air,  It wasn’t too noisy either. Zevran confidently lead her to the bar keep, He put on his most charming grin as he greeted the human landlord.

“A room please dear sir, one with a double bed if possible.” Katari subtly elbowed him in the side as if to say ‘don’t you dare.’ Zevran flinched only slightly- grin unwavering. The landlord flickered his gaze between the two smiling cheekily,

“A double bed eh?” If Katari thought that Zevran’s grin couldn’t grow any wider she was wrong. He was having way too much fun.

“Yes, if possible… I trust you can be discreet?” the Landlord chuckled and passed them a key.

“Of course, so nice to see love blossoming at a time like this!” Zevran’s face was practically beaming with mirth,

“Thank you kind sir.” And with that he led them up the stairs to their room. 

“Grope me and I will I will cut of your hand.”  whispered Katari, Once the door closed behind them Zevran locked the door, ‘for keeping up appearances’ he had said. Katari flung down her hood,

“Lovers. Really?” Zevran shrugged

“It worked did it not?”  Katari grumbled, sitting on the bed to remove her boots, Zevran grinned

“If this is you getting into character, I’m totally on board.” a boot was lobbed at his head. Barely dodging it he laughed good-naturedly,

“I only kid. You know that- you’re just looking for an excuse to throw something at  me.” 

“True. but my threat from earlier still stands.” Zevran rose his hands in defense before undressing to his under armour and launching himself onto the bed with a groan,

“I’ve missed sleeping in a proper bed.” Katari looked at it,

“This will be my first time.” she had settled herself next to him before she caught his cheeky gaze and realised how that sounded, she facepalmed

“Not like thaaaaat.” Zevran only laughed at her misstep and rolled onto his back.

 

They had been lying awake for a few minutes before Zevran flicked his eyes over to Katari,

“Have I mentioned how elvish your ears are Katari?” Katari stopped halfway through a thought,

“No you haven’t actually.” Now she thought about it they were. The were certainly not as obvious or as long as an elf’s ears, But the other qunari’s ears had been stuck out more, Katari’s were more pinned back and were longer and narrower. Zevran hummed in response,

“Huh, height of a human, ears of an elf and tiny horns- some qunari you are.” Katari thwacked him in the face with her pillow. Being short had never bothered her, but her small horns had set her apart even further amongst the Valo-Kas- on a lighter note, she could wear a hood though.

It seemed that Zevran wasn’t  done talking for the night,

“How old are you Katari?” Katari met his response with a deadpan, Zevran’s expression clicked with recognition,

“Ah yes the memory loss sorry.” Katari Shrugged,

“No harm done. How old are you.” Zevran groaned, 

“That old huh?” This time zevran smacked her in the face with a pillow,

“No, not ‘that old’ Katari. I’m Thirty three.” He said proudly, “I’m in my prime.”  Katari retaliated with another smack,

“Prime my ass.” Before they could stop themselves it had broken into an all out pillow fight, Katari manicaly swung her pillow around and Zevran laughed. She could not recall a time after leaving the Valo-kas when she was having so much fun- Perhaps this is what being a Child is like thought Katari. I doubt it raised as a qunari and all, perhaps she was raised in the Qun or was an orphan?who knows? She didn’t let it trouble her for long as Zevran had knocked her off the bed with a victorious cry, She was wheezing with laughter, 

“Okay, we need to stop before the landlord hears us and thinks we are having some really  _ weird  _ sex.” Zevran puffed out his chest

“I’ll have you know that sex with me is  _ never _ weird. Only amazing.” Katari jot up of the floor and back onto the bed,  she grinned impishly

“The words of a lover? or speaking only from  _ solo  _ experience?” Zevran glared at her,

“You’ll pay for that.” The pillow fight resumed.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just another short chapter so you can get to know the character a bit before the story kicks off.


	4. How the crow flies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zevran begins to realise there is more to Katari than he initially thought... and to her dreams.

Zevran had grown very fond of katari, most of the time she was a quiet contemplative person with a knack for fighting everything from bandits to bears, that was enough for Zevran to respect her. There were other times however when she was witty and playful- which caused some mixed feelings for Zevran, on one hand it made him wonder how much of that side of her who make its way into the bedroom while on the other hand it made him wonder just how young she really was. This mixture of erotic curiosity and underlying shame, tormented him for the next few days travelling from her, the trust she appeared to put in him was also unnerving- no one had trusted him so since the blight ten years ago. 

 

His worries about her maturity had begun to fade after a while, even if she was young in terms of years ,her mind was certainly not innocent. A day after the pillow fight (they still argued over who had won.) they had saved a pretty young elven girl from a rogue templar, she was most grateful to her saviours but to Zevran’s horror she had barely shown an interest in him- her eyes were for  Katari only, and after a few subtle innuendos Katari had grinned roguishly at her and threw her over her shoulder. The elven woman had squealed in delight as the qunari walked them to her bedroom, Katari chuckling all the way. The interaction had thrown him off completely not only by Karari’s actions but the fact she was quite uncaring of the fact zevran had seen the entire thing go down. ‘Zevran’ he thought to himself ‘you are losing your touch’ Katari had emerged from the cabin hours later, seemingly very pleased with herself. 

 

“Have a nice evening?” and with those words Katari was reduced to a bumbling mess, 

“I- I…” Zevran got up from his spot on the steps, His gaze practically radiating amusement and curiosity,

“Do not fret, I see no shame in seeking solace in the arms of a beautiful woman.” Perhaps she was ashamed of her preference of the fairer sex? Zevran wondered, while it was common enough in Antiva he knew it was not in Ferelden and who knows what the attitude was amongst the Tal-Vashoth? She readied the horse’s reins and tack. 

“I do not usually do that.” she said, in the same soft voice she used she had been in the tavern those  nights ago. Zevran as always was curious

“You do not lay with others often? With other women? Or with people you’ve just met?” there was a teasing tone to his voice but no prejudice. Katari turned from the horse slightly,

“None of them. With my lack of memories I- I do not Know if I left anyone behind.” Zevran’s grin faltered,

“I had not considered that.” He had not, and was beginning to realise how much Katari’s lack of memories impacted her, it appeared an ever present ball and chain lugging behind her wherever she went.  He changed the subject,

“So is your preference for women alone? Or do you have more... varied interests?” Katari got onto the horse, he followed suit. 

“I have an interest in both men and women.” she said ,her blush beautifully obvious on her white skin. Her blushing made him wonder… she had no shame in saying it. So there must be something...ah ha. She led the horse onto the road

“But you have little experience with men yes?” her stillness told him that she had hit the nail on the head, 

“Shokrakar was very… protective...he made me bunk with the women.”  Zevran found the image rather amusing.

“A mistake on his part I take it?” he said urging her to continue- this was too priceless.

“She was… very persuasive.” was all she said, Zevran burst out  laughing and after a moment Katari was laughing too.

 

They settled for the night in a small clearing in the woods, Katari was carving up a ram beside the fire. Zevran groaned and rolled onto his side,

“I can’t sleep, maybe I should take the next watch? Katari wiped the blood from her hands, 

“Give it an hour Zevran. If you still can’t sleep then I’ll take the next watch.” she said in a matter of fact tone. Zevran was feeling very restless however,

“I’m bored.” Katari fixed him with a ‘no nonsense’ look, She had begun to remove the ram’s hide.

“You are supposed to be trying to get to sleep.” she said running her knife under its coat to separate it from the flesh. He rolled over to face her, he could not help but feel childlike in that moment- it was something she brought out in him. He spoke very quietly, softer than he could ever remember speaking.

“Show me something Katari.” she sighed moving the carcass away from her, 

“Like what.” she said “you know magic drains me.” He didn’t relent.

“doesn't have to be magic..Anything" he said. she paused thinking, A bird fluttered loudly in a nearby tree. She had an idea. 

Zevran watched fascinated as she raised her hands to her mouth and from it ululated a shrill cry. She tried it again, and bird songs of all kinds rose into the air, It was then she imitated a nightingale's song… and the bird in the tree responded. A look of triumph came over Katari’s face, Zevran was mesmerised as they began a sweet duet, the notes floating into the sky. It was over too soon. Satisfied Katari placed her hands back on her lap,

“Where did you learn that?” asked zevran, Katari smiled.

“I’ve always had a fondness for birds, I’ve been able to do it ever since I woke up on that mountain side, clever isn’t it?” Zevran was beginning to feel quite tired now, he rolled onto his back.

“It seems you can charm the very birds from a tree Katari.” was all he said as he drifted off to sleep, ‘even crows.’ he thought as his eyes closed. 

\--

When Katari woke in the morning, Zevran Knew she had been dreaming again- looking visibly shaken. She didn’t say anything however as she put up her bed roll and disposed of the what was left of the ram. Zevran shrugged he couldn’t expect her to tell him everything, It’s not like he had either. 

They rode in a comfortable silence, the hinterland were buzzing with the conclave only two days away, there was not a single villager who didn’t speak of it, some were apprehensive, others fearful. When Zevran had asked Katari’s opinion on it she said she did not know.

“I’m not sure I trust the chantry to solve everything so easily.” she said as they rode, Zevran nodded sagely,

“True, they’re more often the cause of problems than the solution of them. The divine seems capable enough though- both the mages and the templars respect her and Her left hand is very good at what she does.” He remembered leliana fondly, he admired her prowess in battle and her kind heart. 

“I take it you are not the religious sort Katari?” he asked, she had always had a ambivalent or distrusting attitude to every cleric they had encountered, to be fair they were rarely kind to elves, Qunari or anyone else who didn’t share their faith. Katari seemed to contemplate her answer,

“No not really, I find religion interesting but I sometimes feel it does more harm than good.” She had a wise head on her shoulders thought Zevran, Wynne would have liked her even if she didn’t follow the chantry because she never held any malice towards anything even if she disagreed with it. It was probably why Zevran was so comfortable with her, he knew that if she found out that  he was an assassin she would hear him out before jumping to any conclusions.  While in his musings her tucked his hair behind one ear, he heard Katari gasp.

“Katari? Is everything alright?” there was a pause, she reached out and touched a finger to his earring. Zevran shivered a little, clearly Katari didn’t know how sensitive an elf’s ear was.

“In my dream, I saw a man wearing an earring like that. He was otherwise naked, his throat was slit… sorry it is probably nothing.” Zevran stilled. Shit.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun! next chapter is where it gets really interesting...


	5. while we're on the subject

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zevran tells Katari what he knows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry It's a short one guys but I felt that this needed to here. next update coming soon! ;-)  
> as always feel free to suggest things in the comments, I'm all ears!

The next morning Katari awake with a startled cry. Zevran rushed to her, eyes scanning her warily.

“Are you alright?” Zevran was concerned, Katari’s dreams had always been worrisome, especially after the dream she had the previous night. I was worrying because nobody other than Zevran knew about the earring and the mark he had took it from, If her dreams revealed that, what else would they reveal about him? It was not only worry for himself but worry for her, She was so tormented by these dreams and she had no idea what they were- and he had kept it from her.

 

Katari was visibly shaken, with an exhale she sat upright, resting her head in her hands. Zevran was distraught as cold sweat dripped down her forehead, her silence made him even more concerned,

“Katari please say something.” he pleaded -something he did not often do, he hadn’t even pleaded for his life when he had stared up the blade of an enraged Nymn Brosca. 

“Katari?” he whispered. She looked up at him with wide eyes; like the eyes of a cornered animal. She opened her mouth to speak before closing it again, unsure of what to say.

 

It was a few Tense moments before she spoke “I saw- I saw and explosion, something- I don’t know and..” Zevran swallowed ‘perhaps this was the chantry in kirkwall?’ she seemed puzzled, he encouraged her,

“And?” she inhaled closing her eyes, ‘how did someone explain something like this?’ 

“A hole. That’s the only way I can describe it; a great green hole in the sky, it- it felt so… wrong yet…” she trailed off. Zevran blinked, not the chantry then. He would have remembered something like that. This hole in the sky she mentioned, the very idea made him feel queasy- it sounded like something that would herald the end of times… what was it?

“Anything else?” he wasn’t sure she wanted and answer but she shook her head. He relaxed slightly before taking a deep breath. He had to tell her what he knew.

“katari?”  she turned to look at him but said nothing.

“The other day, the first dream you mentioned- Did I ever tell you why I first came to Ferelden?” She shook her head curious but apprehensive at his out-of-character seriousness.

 

H explained it all to her, the warden he had been sent to assassinate, Sten, Morrigan, the earring- everything. She sat watching him in a mixture of awe and confusion. When he had finished he looked to the ground, for the first time in a long while he was ashamed. She spoke quietly,

“Zevran why are you telling me this?”  Zevran breathed, She hadn't realised yet

“Katari I think your dreams are prophetic. I’ve seen the things in your dreams, most of it ten years ago during the blight.” There was silence again, Zevran was fully prepared to take whatever she would say to him- he deserved it, she had trusted him and had kept secrets from her- not just his own but secrets about herself. 

“I was right.” Zevran winced, she was going to ask him to leave wasn’t she? He waited for her to continue,

“Your profession is totally not legal.” a startled laugh came from her, Zevran’s eyes snapped up to her. She was… laughing?

“Zevran.” he was confused, 

“What?” he asked, brows furrowing. She slapped his shoulder,

“I’m not crazy! These dreams mean something. I thought- thought that...Thank you.” She was smiling at him, tears running down her cheeks, Zevran was only more confused,

“I’m not so sure about the crazy part. Why are you not angry?” she punched him, he flew onto his back shocked, She began to laugh again.

“Dick.” she said, He laughed too. 

The following two days were happy ones the two rogues were reveling in their new found friend ship, then a great green hole appeared in the sky. 


	6. the meaning of haste

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari and Zevran make their way to Haven

Zevran had halted the horse, The two stared at the sky. The great green horror from Katari’s nightmares had appeared in the sky and the world seemed silent save from their terrified shaky breaths. The whole world watched it, spitting chaos and fury, Zevran was the first to speak

“It’s coming from the foot of the frostbacks… from haven.” The Conclave. Neither said it but they both thought it. Katari turned to Zevran urgently, 

“The Valo-Kas, my friends! They were at the conclave! I need to go!” A look of horror crossed Zevran’s face Also,

“Leliana.” he Breathed, he clicked his tongue and turned the horse around, Katari fisted her hands in his cloak,

“It’s Half a day’s ride.” Said Katari, Zevran turned to her,

“Hold on tight.” He gave a shout and pushed his horse into a gallop. Her hood fell back as they rode, the wind whistling through her hair. ‘We won’t make it.” thought Katari. The ride seemed to last forever no matter how fast they went. A dark look crossed her features “No. We will.”

 

\---

They were two hours from Haven when the hole stopped growing. Zevran slowed the horse, easing her into a canter, circling for a moment as they looked up at the sky, Katari spoke lowly

“The veil is thin there, I can feel it. Be careful.” Zevran nodded, urging the horse forward once more. 

The town was beginning to show itself on the horizon, Zevran remembered Haven, It had brought him and the others a lot of grief in the search of the urn of sacred ashes, It seemed that this place  was cursed with misfortune. The hole in the sky seemed so much larger now that they were close, looming threateningly in the sky even now it had stopped growing. 

 

The town more or less the same as zevran remembered- only larger with a stone wall surrounding it, He lead the horse towards the gates just as a number of soldiers made their way through it also. He spotted a familiar purple hood amongst them,

“Leliana!” the head swivelled around looking for the source of the voice, Leliana furrowed her brow, she could have sworn that was- She saw a blond rider approaching. 

“Zevran? Is that you?” She walked away from the group, sparing a quick glance to the woman the soldiers were carrying, her marked hand swinging unconsciously. Her walk turned into a run as she approached the horse and its rider. 

 

Sure enough Zevran sat in the saddle, relief present on his face.

“Leliana ,you’re alive! We saw the hole in the sky and got here as fast as we could.” Leliana furrowed her eyebrows, We? He got down from the horse. There was a cloaked figure behind him, ‘curious’ thought Leliana. 

“Fear not, I am well and the breach no longer spreads.” she said. Katari’s ears perked at her accent, no matter how  subtle a Orlesian accent would always stick out in Ferelden. Zevran nodded, Leliana continued with a confused expression

“I’m surprised to learn that you are still in Ferelden Zevran, with a friend no less.” she said cleary probing for information about the cloaked figure zevran had brought with him.  Zevran’s face grew somber,

“My friend needs your help.” Leliana’s gaze flickered the one behind him ‘a she’ Zevran had said.

“I’ll do what I can.” Zevran looked around,

“Can we speak somewhere in private?” he asked, Katari was growing tense behind him. Leliana nodded in the direction of the village. 

 

Zevran and Katari hopped down from the horse, leading her to a stable hand before following Leliana through the gates.

 

Leliana lead the two to her tent, looking around outside before pulling the flap shut behind her, 

“What do you need of me?” she asked, Zevran stepped forward,

“My friend knew people at the conclave.” he said sparing a quick glance at Katari who’s hood was still up,

“You can take it down Katari.” he said gently, Leliana began to speak

“And who were-” she paused to watch Katar slowly take down her hood- eyes widening slightly when the small cloaked figure was revealed to be a qunari of all things.  Her white form shockingly bright against the dark of her shroud. Katari’s soft voice was trembling as she spoke

“The Valo-Kas, did any- are any of them alive.” Realisation flickered across Leliana’s features

“I do not know, we have not yet been able to recover many off the bodies.” her expression softening at the petrified qunari in front of her, waiting with baited breath.

“There are so many- give me a day ,maybe two and I can find out. I know it is a long time to wait for such news but it’s the best I can do.” The Qunari nodded before a confused expression fell upon her features, 

“What happened here? The veil... it’s different now.” Leliana analysed the figure before her,

“You are a mage I take it?.” Katari nodded. Leliana guestured them to bench at one side, waiting for them to sit down before explaining how an explosion at the conclave had teared a hole into the fade. She also told them how  Evelyn Trevelyan had survived the blast with a mark on her hand which had somehow managed to stop the growth of the breach.

Once she had finished her account of what happen Katari looked up at leliana thinking, 

“You said that the explosion itself created the breach?” Leliana nodded, Katari’s expression turned contemplative- Zevran Knew that look.

“What are you thinking?” he asked turning to face her, Katari leaned down, elbows on her knees before running a hand through her snowy hair,

“A great deal of magic would have been necessary to do such a thing- which seems a great hassle if all you want to do is blow something up. There are cheap, easy and simple ways to do that.” Leliana nodded at Katari’s words wondering what she was getting at, Katari continued 

“Which leads me to wonder whether the breach was either a unseen turn of events or the original intention of all this.” 

The thought was an unsettling one, who would desire such a thing? Not only the end of the divine but the end of the world itself. Katari voiced her thoughts once more.

“And if this was the true intention behind the blast, has it turned out as predicted? Perhaps it was not intended to cause a tear so large or- sorry I’m just speculating.” Leliana stopped her before she could apologize further,

“No, those are good questions.” she said standing to her feet,

“You are welcome to stay until I have something for you. I’m only sorry that it will take so long.” Katari bowed her head in thanks, to anyone she would look appeased but in truth she was wrought with worry, the possible deaths of her friends hanging over her like a dark cloud.  She pulled up her hood and went out into the snow. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story begins....


	7. What are friends for?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari gets word of her Tal-vashoth friends

Zevran unraveled the message, idly stroking the raven’s feathers before it flew off in the direction it had came from. His eyes scrolled across the paper before he sighed, putting the note into his pocket. His feet crunched in the snow as he made his way to the tavern, listening to all the idle chatter of the ‘Herald of Andraste’. He didn’t know quite what to make of it; he had never been terribly religious, if anything he thought this Trevelyan to be rather suspicious. He frowned at the puffs of his breath  visible in the cold air, as one born and raised in Antiva the cold was never something he grew fond of. In Antiva- while there was a degree of racial tension from nobles there was little present in everyday life, it was a dog eat dog world and every antivan knew that, provided you could swing a blade well enough no one really put much thought into the fact he was an elf... but here he could feel many a burning gaze on his pointed ears- it was not something he would ever grow fond of either.

Swinging the door to the tavern open he smiled at the rush of warmth that greeted him, the patrons however were much less fond of the cold wind that rushed to meet them, he closed it behind him. Katari’s hooded form was in the corner nursing a tankard, he smiled and went to sit with her. 

“Katari!” he greeted before swinging himself into the seat across from her, she nodded in response, Katari had always been more on the quiet side but ever since the breach she had become near silent. 

“Any news?” he asked, they had been there for a day and a night and as far as he knew she had heard nothing from the nightingale, Katari shook her head leaning backing into her chair, 

“If it’s any consolation, if they were dead they would have found them by now they've recovered almost all of bodies.” said Zevran, it was the best he could offer given the circumstances. Katari sighed,

“It’s not only that Zevran, it is all of this- I saw this happen.” Zevran stilled at the mention of her dream, she continued

“I knew this was going to happen and I did nothing to stop it. No matter how insignificant, I am partly to blame.” she said before retreating back into her chair. Zevran frowned,

“Katari, you are not responsible for any of this! You had no idea what it even was, there was nothing you could of done would have stopped this.”he said passionately before lowering his voice, mindful of the fact that if anyone were to discover the content of Katari’s dreams, unpleasant this could happen to both of them. He went to continue before she snapped at him

“But I could have done something! Instead of just ignoring it completely! I could have warned them, I-” she stopped halfway through ,at Zevran’s startled expression.

“I am sorry, you were just trying to make me feel better.”  she said softly. Zevran smiled,

“It is all right. Grief does things to us, but there is still hope.” he said before getting to his feet. 

“I’m going to see whether Flissa has anything other than this gastly ferelden ale.” he announced making his way to the bar mumbling the entire time about the joys of Antivan brandy. 

 

Later that evening they were back inside ‘the singing maiden’ (which Zevran did not fail to make a joke about)  for the evening meal when Zevran decided to tell Katari about the note he had received that morning, 

“I have received word from my people in Antiva.” he said, curious Katari looked up from her plate but not before dunking her bread in her stew and taking a bite,

“Oh?” she said once she had finished chewing, Zevran sighed,

“Yes they need me to return before the end of the month- there are things I need to see to.” Katari looked a little put out by this but accepted it in good grace,

“Very well, once I hear news from Leliana I will probably go my own way as well.” 

It was then that one of Leliana’s people came to the table, a sharp thing with brown hair and slight stature;

“Are you Zevran?” she asked, Zevran smiled and nodded,

“That I am. Has Leliana any need of me?” the scout shook her head, 

“A message for your friend ser.” she looked over to Katari, whose head was hidden beneath her hood as always,

“My apologies, she did not give me your name. I must be off now.” she said placing the message on the table, nodding a farewell before swiftly disappearing into the crowd. Katari’s hands snatched the paper from the table, she tore open the seal

_ Katari _

_ I’m glad to hear from you, after six months we had assumed you were either dead or had left ferelden. What happened in haven was a shit storm, some of our kith made it out after the explosion. The rest are dead or missing, I don’t know how many were rounded up by angry humans. I know it is a lot to ask but help me find our brothers and sisters. _

__ -Shokrakar _ _

 

Katari sighed with relief, Zevran looked at her eyes trying to decipher her expression

“What does it say?” katari looked down at the note again,

“Shokrakar and some others made it out, many of them are still missing.” she took a deep breath, the note made no mention Kaaris though or any other of her friends specifically. Zevran smiled

“At least we know some survived-” Katari cut him off eyes squinting slightly

“Wait leliana has written something in the corner.” in blue ink it read;

_ Some scouts found more of your friends wandering the wilderness on one of their routes, they have given them some supplies- they should be fit enough to make their way back to the others. I also have heard rumours that a noble has imprisoned several Tal-vashoth in his estate dungeons to the west _

__ -Leliana _ _

 

Below was a small sketch of a map referencing the nobleman’s estate and it’s location. Katari passed it to Zevran before standing up and adjusting her cloak, he passed it back with a confused expression

“Katari? Where are you going?” he stood up too, Katari went to move past him

“It’s been good travelling with you Zevran but my friends need me.” Zevran blocked her with his arm,

“I’m coming with you.” It was Katari’s turn to look confused,

“But you said-” Zevran put on his own cloak,

“I have until the end of the month.” Katari frowned

“But- why?” Zevran smiled

“Because my friend needs me.” the two rogues grinned before heading out into the snow.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. jail break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari and zevran liberate her friends and find a new one.

_ Three weeks later _

 

“I must say this is the first time I’ve broken  _ into  _ a dungeon.” Said Katari as they crouched on a rocky ledge overlooking the nobleman’s estate. The trouble was that the dungeon was underground, so they had no way of entering it directly.  There was a twinkle in zevran’s eye,

“It is not my first jail break- though technically it was a fort not a dungeon so..” Katari gave him a pointed look,

“Right sorry, back to the task at hand.” he said, Katari chuckled and began began to count the guards,  _ not many  _ she thought to herself  _ but enough to warrant caution.  _

“Any ideas Zevran- I mean we could just kill the guards but I don’t really want to leave a trail of corpses behind.” Zevran hummed 

“Indeed.” They debated over infiltration tactics for a while; possible rouses, distractions, weak points, guard rotations, bribery, the list went on. It wasn’t the getting in part that was going to hard however- despite the issue of having no idea where the entrance to the dungeons was once they got inside- the main issue was that it would be much harder to sneak around with five or six full-sized qunari following you on the way out. After a while katari sighed, 

“I’m not sure we can pull this off- not with the information we have to go on.” Zevran agreed, while she had been speaking he had watched as a kitchen girl walked into the kitchen gardens to pick fruit from a tree. This he could work with,

“I’ve got an idea. Wait here.” Katari followed his line of sight, letting out a breathy laugh. Zevran gave her his signature grin as he rose to his feet, shooting her a sheepish look,

“I’ll be as fast as I can.” Katari readjusted herself so she sat more comfortably,

“I’m sure you won’t have to try too hard.” she replied with a grin of her own, Zevran glared at her before throwing a small rock in her direction-  It ricocheted of her horns before smacking itself onto her head.

“Ow!.” 

 

Zevran made his way to the wall of the kitchen garden, climbing it deftly before jumping down between the fruit trees. He looked about- he couldn’t see the girl anywhere. He grumbled knowing he would have to wait until she came back. A commotion came from the kitchen, curiously  he listened,

“I’ve told you a thousand times knife ear! You give the prisoners nothing more than bread and water understood?” an old woman screeched; the cook Zevran assumed. A voice responded quietly, the woman seemed appeased,

“We better not have this issue again! Go fetch some water to take down with you.” Zevran ducked behind a bush, as elven lad trudged out of the kitchen’s to the stone well in the corner of the garden, pausing when he realised there was no bucket before making his way to a small stone structure- a shed or storage room of some sorts. This was zevran’s chance.

 

He silently followed the boy- he could not have been older than seventeen- into the shed. Closing the door behind him. The boy jumped around in shock, Zevran rose a finger to his lips, the boy nodded obediently. Looking at him now the boy seemed quite calm for someone facing down an intruder.  _ Interesting  _ thought Zevran. 

“Tell me your name boy- I have no intention of harming you.” the boy hesitated 

“Ellian” he said quietly, “what do you want?” Zevran held out his hands reassuringly 

“I have some questions about the people being held prisoners. That is all.” The boy examined him with wary blue eyes, 

“Will you hurt them?” he asked, Zevran looked at the boy surprised, wondering why the boy seemed worried about the welfare of some qunari.

“No.” he said slowly “I’m here to liberate them.” he said before raising a brow “though I’m curious as to why you would care.” he asked leaning against the door, casually but also a reminder to the boy that he was going nowhere, Ellian fidgeted

“There is a woman with them- I wasn’t supposed to stay after I’d brought them food but… I’d never seen a qunari before, she is kind; they all are, I- they are not what I expected.” Zevran could not help but smile,  _ ah young love.  _ Secretly finding it quaint how he was revealing all of this to a stranger. 

“No they are not. Look boy I need your help.”  the boy seemed confused,

“My help? But what can I...okay. I’ll help but you have to promise me something.” Zevran raised a brow,

“When you break them out you must wait for me.” Zevran paused  _ wait what? _ Zevran examined the boy once again,

“Are you sure? It seems an odd thing to ask.” he said, The boy nodded 

“I want to go with them.” he said, Zevran groaned,

“Alright. We’ll wait for you, now tell me where are the dungeons?” 

Zevran returned to Katari an hour or so later, she all but growled at him when he showed

“That serving girl must have been really pretty.” Zevran laughed 

“I couldn’t find her actually but I do have information.” Katari sat up straight,

“What do you know.?” Zevran explained the whole encounter to her, Katari laughed 

“I bet he’s talking about Adaar.” she said when she heard about the boy being smitten over a kind qunari woman. Zevran smiled

“Oh? Is she very… persuasive?” he teased before continuing “any way, he told me how to get into the dungeons- apparently they are a new addition to the manor, converted from a disused wine cellar ,so it isn’t very strategically positioned; it is near to a servant entrance at the eastern side of the manor house. The boy Ellian says he can get a key for the dungeon door- not to the individual cell however. He also tells me that he brings the guards a drink on an evening. I’ve given him something to spike the drinks with- overall the boy has been very helpful.” Katari nodded taking the information in, before a concerned expression crossed her face,

“I hope he does not get caught.” she said, zevran frowned. It would not be nice if the boy was to meet some awful fate because of them. Katari examined her dagger briefly 

“Looks like this is going to be easier than we anticipated.” she said, Zevran nodded,

“Indeed. We have a while to wait.” he said sitting down beside her.

Ellian fumbled as he dashed out of the head of the private guard’s office, he had the key. He sighed with relief- no one was around. He walked back to the kitchen thinking to himself 

Did he really want to do this? He had worked here for years, he had a friend in the stables. His thoughts turned to Herah; that is what she had called herself. She had called to him quietly when he had been caught watching them, she had smiled and beckoned him to the bars, he had gone to her- somewhat cautiously, as he did not like the look of the other qunari in the cell with her. Their horns were larger than he had thought they’d be, they were taller too, scarred and quite frightening. But she had smiled at him, beckoning him so gently and sweetly- it may have been a trick but curiosity killed the cat.  Her hair was shaved at the sides, a section flopping in front of her  eyes, which were a glittery silver in the candle light. The others qunari had chuckled at her, teasing her for finding a ‘pet’ so easily but he had ignored them- he was too busy getting lost in her eyes.

Ellian didn’t fight the smile that crept onto his face, she was so unlike the ladylike women he served and the elven women he worked with, she was brave… and beautiful. The others had grown kind towards him too, asking him questions, joking- they were not ogres or animals like he had always been taught, they were people like himself, he would set them free and then he would go with them. He put the key in his pocket as he stepped through the door. 

The cook yelled at him as she always did but he could not ignore the happiness and anticipation that built in his chest. He had been raised in a small village, had worked as a servant ever since he was young- not only was he was freeing the qunari, he was freeing himself too. He jumped when he was asked to take dinner to the guards downstairs, taking a deep breath he carried the tray to the dungeon entrance. While no one was looking he took the vial from his pocket, the one the elven man had given him, he had promised it wasn’t lethal that it would only put them to sleep. He unscrewed the cap and poured it into the jug of ale. 

“Thank the maker you got here.” said Ellian as he quietly guided the elf and his friend through the servant’s passage,

“Are they asleep?” asked Zevran, Ellian nodded. He had listened as their laughter began to slur before the were silent completely. The hooded figure the elf had brought with spoke to him

“You want to join the Valo-kas?” she asked, Ellian stammered

“Well not exactly I- I mean they- I’m not-” the woman chuckled,

“Don’t you worry boy, provided you can hold your own and you don’t cause to much trouble they’ll take you.” The boy perked up instantly

“Really? I mean they would?” the woman shrugged,

“After helping them escape? Sure they will.” they arrived at the dungeon entrance, they swiftly made their way down the steps. 

The Valo- kas had suspected something was off the minute the guards were quiet. They were all surprised however as Ellian the serving boy, another elf and a familiar hooded figure approached their cell. Kaariss rose to his feet excitedly,

“Katari? Is that you?” Katari flung down her hood at the familiar voice, spotting him in one of the cell’s she ran over,

“Damn right it’s me, do you have any idea how worried I was?” the tall yet slender qunari rolled his eyes and reached through the bars to ruffle katari’s hair,

“I’m fine  _ mother.  _ Now get me out of here would you?” Zevran watched the encounter curiously, they seemed very close. Katari threw a glance over her shoulder to the boy Ellian,

“You know how to pick a lock boy?” Ellian shook his head, she beckoned him over with a tilt of her head.

“You may as well learn, come watch.” she threw Zevran a pointed glare, “you too.” Zevran threw his hands up into the air in exasperation,

“I’m never going to live this down am I?” he asked, Katari had found his inability to pick locks  _ hilarious  _ ever since she had discovered him to be an assassin, ‘an assassin who can’t pick a lock? Some use you are’ she had said practically crying with laughter as he struggled to get past the lock on a chesty they had found, before simply breaking the lock herself. 

Ellian had listened diligently as the small qunari woman showed him how to line up the pins with one pick and turn the barrel with the other. The door swung open and Kaariss bodily lifted Katari from the ground  in an embrace,

“Kaariss! For fuck’s sake put me down this instant you oaf!” said katari slapping him on the shoulder and squirming in his grasp. Kaariss laughed warmly, more voices sounded from down the corridor,

“Katari? Is that you?” 

“How did you find us?”

“Thank god you are here, Kaariss has been driving us insane with his wretched singing!” Katari laughed while Kaariss looked aghast. 

Ellian rushed over to Herah’s Cell with the lock picks Katari had given him, managing to unlock it on his fourth try. Herah came to the bars,

“Ellian?” the door swung open, she looked at the elven lad, whose face was filled with triumph with lockpicks in hand, she stood to her full height, before bending down to kiss him on the cheek “thank you” she said beaming when he flushed bright pink, she walked out of the cell. Helping the other’s get out of their cells. 

Katari smiled counting the heads of her fellow qunari, one.. Two… three... seven of them. They all greeted her, ruffling her hair, patting her on the shoulders. Zevran chuckled at all, finding it amusing how small Katari was among them- she barely reached their shoulders and that was including her horns. They all followed her excitedly, eager to feel the sun on their skin again,

“Do you know where our weapons are?” asked Sata-Kas; a huge man with broad shoulders and half a horn missing, Ellian explained that they would most likely be in the small storage space at the end of the corridor. They retrieved their weapons, as Katar passed an unconscious guard she paused before relieving him of his coin purse, weighing it appreciatively in her hand. Zevran gave her an amused glance, Katari shrugged ‘old habits die hard.’   

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. a warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the herald and her party are warned by a mysterious figure

Evelyn rode alongside Cassandra as they made their way to Redcliffe, the seeker’s presence grounded her; in a world gone mad it was nice to be around someone so steadfast. Solas and Varric rode behind them. They had only encountered a single rift on the journey so far- making it one of their most peaceful trips into the hinterlands yet, the party seemed at ease, even solas was more talkative than usual (which meant he was discussing something other than the fade) 

“So who do you think is the toughest? Josephine, Leliana or cassandra?” asked varric, solas seemed to ponder for a moment before cassandra interrupted, she turned in the saddle,

“I’m right here you know!” Varric merely shrugged, 

“That doesn’t rule you out seeker.” he said with a wave of his finger, Solar raised a brow

“Commander Cullen is not up for consideration?” he asked as they entered a leafy tunnel,

“Curly?” scoffed Varric “they just keep him around to look pretty.” he stated, cassandra was about to jump to the commander’s defence when they noticed that the path ahead was blocked. 

 

A hooded figure sat on  a felled tree which sprawled leisurely across their path, Evelyn reached for her staff as her eyes traveled towards the axe which was rested casually against its trunk- this was not an accident. The others reached for their weapons too ,all visibly disgruntled at the interruption of and otherwise leisurely journey. Before they could dismount however the figure spoke,

“I mean you no harm.” the voice was soft, low and distinctly feminine, Evelyn didn’t put her staff away, she was all too aware of the familiar form of a blade beneath the woman’s cloak. Varric huffed,

“Well you’re not a toll collector that’s for sure.” cautious but also curiously the dwarf examined her, as did the others, They could all hear the smile in her voice when she responded, she bowed her head in Varric’s direction,

“Indeed, I am not master dwarf. I merely come to give you a warning.” they all seemed surprised at the respectful manner in which she addressed him, It put them all on edge- something didn’t seem right. Cassandra was visibly seething, 

“You dare threaten us? You are clearly outnumbered.”  Evelyn could sense that the seeker was seconds away from jumping down from her horse, The figure rose to their feet, which made them grip tighter on their weapons readying themselves for a fight. Evelyn reached out an arm to settle them- she didn’t want to start a fight unless necessary. The figure barely reacted to their open suspicion, they clasped their hands behind their back.

“I give you no threats, just a word of caution. Trouble brews in Redcliffe Herald.” Evelyn sat back in her saddle,

“You know who I am?” 

“Among many things.” The figure was most certainly an ingima, Solas did not like the way she said that at all- his brows furrowed. 

“What trouble do you speak of?” Cassandra also seemed interested,

“Yes, what do you Know about the happenings in Redcliffe? Has anything happened?” The figure gave an odd response,

“I’m afraid I do not know- Only that odd magic runs amuck there and that most of the villagers have fled.” Varric murmured to himself 

“Wonderful.”  The figure spoke once more,

“Watch yourself Helard, whatever lurks there bears you ill will.” Evelyn fought a shudder

“How do you know this?” the horse grew restless beneath her, 

“I have had dreams of a broken man with a grovelling boy at his feet- seconds before he tries to kill you.”  Cassandra Scoffed 

“You have had dreams? You have blocked our path to warn us of a bad dream?” she said disbelieving of this lunatic before her. Solas tilted his head at the figure ‘dreams? How curious.’  

The figure didn’t react at the seekers dismission 

“I have done my part- do what you will with my Warning.” before they picked up the axe and headed for the treeline, Solas called out

“Who are you?” the figure ignored him- much to his irritation. Turning slightly towards Evelyn, 

“Don’t waste your time Herald ,lest time will waste you.” before they disappeared behind the trees completely. 

Varric broke the stunned silence

“Well that was Ominous” Evelyn hummed in agreement

“Not to mention maddeningly unhelpful.”  Solas surprised everyone by turning on Cassandra

“I would not have been so quick to dismiss her Seeker. She could have told us more.” he said Cassandra’s mouth fell open aghast, 

“Solas! Do not tell me you believed that mad woman!” Solas shook his head, as he dismounted, idly patting his horse on the neck

“Believe? No, not quite But the fade is a curious place- you would be surprised how much truth can be revealed to us in our dreams.” Varric deadpanned 

“Of course  _ you _ would say that ,Chuckles.” Solas made his way to the tree, using his magic to clear it from  the road. Looking down at it disapprovingly ‘what a waste’ he thought to himself before mounting his horse once more.

 

Evelyn had been staring off into space ‘what did she mean by that? Time wasting?’ she slowly voiced her thoughts

“Mad or not, there is no harm in keeping an eye out.” this seemed to appease everyone as they continued down the road. 

\---

Katari made her way back to her and zevran’s camp, Zevran was sharpening his knife as he sat on a tree stump, he looked up at her arrival

“Where did you run off to? You’ve been gone for an hour?” he asked concerned, she had woken from yet another dream on their journey and this time she had bolted off seconds after she got to her feet. she merely smiled at him

"just had to clear my head." she said softly.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. changing times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zevran and Katari part ways and Trevelyan pays Alexius a visit

Denerim’s docks were quieter than one might have thought at night time- perhaps it was because the pearl is nearby, and all of its usual nighttime rabble was inside- aside from the complaints of a worn out quartermaster and the gentle lapping of the waves the docks were silent. 

 

Zevran walked beside Katari, he looked to her with a sad smile

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” he asked facing her, Katari responded as they always did when they didn’t want to say something- with humour.

“Me in Antiva? I would surely blind the locals with the white of my hair and skin!” Zevran chuckled,

“An interesting battle strategy.” he mused, Katari looked at him fondly

“I think I’ll stay in Denerim for a while.” Zevran through her his charming grin,

“I’ll make an assassin of you yet Katari.” there was a pregnant pause between them, Zevran eyed her up and down as if wondering how someone he had known for so little time had made so  much of an impression on him, He couldn’t help it as his eyes flicked up to her horns. An unspoken question on his lips, Katari grinned and softly said,

“You can touch them you know.” Zevran’s smile widened, he flicked her hood back, slowly he placed his hands on her horns, gently tugging her forward and placing a kiss on her forehead, he pulled back caressing them curiously before letting go, Katari knocked the wind from him when she pulled him into a hug, laughing he lowered his arms around her,

“If you ever have need of me-” she looked up at him 

“I know.”  Zevran reached into his cloak, pressing a small knife into her hands, on closer inspection she noticed that the handle had been carved into a crow’s head,

“For you.” he said, Katari reached into her own cloak, 

“I have something for you too.” she passed him a book wrapped in brown paper. Smiling at her lopsidedly he lead his horse in the direction of the ship he was boarding, 

“Goodbye Katari!” he waved, she called back to him,

“No Zevran- see you later.” she watched him board with a sad smile before pulling her hood back over her head.

 

Later on the ship Zevran unwrapped the book laughing when he saw the title, it read ‘the basics of lockpicking’ 

“Katari” he gasped, “don’t ever change.”

 

\---

 

“We don’t have the manpower to take the castle! We either find another way in or give up this nonsense and go to the templars! And what is this I hear about some mad woman warning you on the road? Do you really believe the wild things she was saying?” Cassandra rose to her defense, admittedly her heart fluttered a little at it, she had always had a thing for women who could snap her in half if they so wished and that voice-

“Redcliffe is in the hands of a magister. This cannot be allowed to stand!” she said straightening,

Josephine interrupted them,

“The letter asked for the Herald of Andraste by name. It is an obvious trap.” Evelyn was tired of this,

“We can’t waste time arguing amongst ourselves! We must come to an agreement.” Leliana was clearly frustrated too as it seeped thickly into her voice, an odd thing considering how guarded she usually was,

“A Tevinter magister controls Redcliffe. Invites us to talk  and some of us want to do nothing!” she gave a pointed glance at Josephine and Cullen. 

“Not this again.” muttered Josephine, They talked for a while longer. Evelyn was still trying to process everything that had happened in the last week- the woman on the road, the things she said were so eerily accurate after they had encountered the time warping rifts and it made her all the more apprehensive. She leant forward onto the war table, eyes fixed on Redcliffe’s sigil on the map,

“There has got to be another entrance into the castle, other than the main gate.” you could see the cogs turning in leliana’s head.

She remembered Redcliffe from all those years ago, the tunnel they had use to get in, ‘it’s funny’ she thought ‘how often history repeats itself’ she mentally plotted the route- windmill, dungeons.... Main hall.’ she knew her scouts could get through. 

“There is nothing I know of that would work.” muttered cullen, 

“Wait” said lelina, all eyes were on her “there is a secret passage into the castle, an escape route for the family. It is too narrow for our troops but we could send agent’s through.” her suggestion didn’t rest well with cullen, like many soldiers he felt secure in numbers ,were an outcome could be calculated and you could weigh the odds, espionage set him on edge; a lone agent carried the burden of a whole army on their soldiers.

“It’s too risky.” he insisted “those agents will be discovered well before we reach the magister.” 

Leliana put her hands behind her back,

“That’s why we need a distraction, perhaps the envoy he wants so badly.” Cullen seemed to mull this over,

“Focus their attention on Trevelyn, while we take out the tevinters. It’s risky but it could work.” Trevelyn was about to remind him that all fighting was risky when Dorian the mage from earlier burst through the door,

“Fortunately, you’ll have help.” a nervous scout scurrying after him, clearly embarrassed at being unable to prevent the mage from interrupting a private meeting,

“This man says he has information about the magister and his methods ,Commander.” he said quickly as if it would explain everything Before disappearing. Evelyn turned to the mage who smiled in her direction before turning to the commander who was glaring daggers in the Tevinter’s direction, hands practically crushing the pommel of his sword,

“Your spies will never get past Alexius’ magic without my help. So if you’re going after him, I’m coming along.” Cullen flicked his eyes over to Trevelyn 

“The plan puts you in the most danger, we can’t in good conscience, order you to do this.” 

‘odd’ thought Trevelyn ‘he’s never been so considerate towards me- a mage- before’ Then Cullen continued,

“We can still go after the templars, If you’d rather not play the bait. It’s up to you.” Evelyn fought the urge to face palm, of course that’s what he wanted. She glanced again at Redcliffe on the map,

“Leliana, get your agent’s ready.” Cullen sighed and Dorian beamed- this was going to be interesting.

 

Trevelyn chose to take Varric, Dorian, Iron bull and solas, she did not often take more that three with her but she didn’t quite trust Dorian yet, she would have taken Cassandra but she knew that Bull would be useful due to his ability to read people. They must have shocked the Magister’s somewhat when they darkened the door of the castle- Perhaps it was because they had not expected her to fall for their trap or perhaps it was the fact that bull had one of his terrifying grins on his face. 

 

“Announce us” said Evelyn a servant glanced suspiciously at the dwarf, qunari, and behind her, 

“The magister’s invitation was for mistress Trevelyn alone.” he said lifting his nose in the air, though Evelyn suspected that it was actually him trying to stand taller, “the others must wait here, the situation was as comical as it was tense, 

“My friends go in with me or I won’t go in at all.” Evelyn was tall, standing a head taller than the servant who shrunk in her shadow, he darted his gaze between them nervously before he nodded and gestured them forward, They followed him up the steps. 

 

Alexius lounged in wooden chair as if it was a throne, the bright fire behind him barely brushing any light at all upon him at all- what had been an attempt to look ominous had resulted only in a rather cliche setting. The servant greeted Alexius as they approached

“My lord magister, the agents of the inquisition have arrived.” the chair creaked slightly as the magister rose to his feet. 

“My friend! It is so good to see you again!” he was surprisingly convincing were it not for the fact she knew what he was doing she might have actually believed him even if she didn’t share the sentiment. He paused “and your… associates of course.” Bull shifted on his feet sending Trevelyn a look that screamed ‘please let me kill him...please’  Magisters it seemed loved talking 

“I’m sure we can work out some arrangement that is equitable to all parties.” 

 

Fiona who had been silent so far slowly stepped forward her accent thickening with anger 

“Are we mages to have no voice in deciding our fate.” there was something in her voice that made Evelyn realise why others followed her even if it meant following her into slavery- there was graceful bravery to her. The magister smiled revealing his teeth, a subtle threat in his voice,

“Why Fiona, you would not have turned your followers over to my care if you did not trust me with your lives.” Trevelyn stepped forward,

“If the grand enchanter wants to be a part of these talks, then I welcome her as a guest of the inquisition.” she smiled at Fiona who looked taken aback but grateful nonetheless,

“Thank you.” 

 

Alexius sat back down in his chair, 

“The inquisition needs mages to close the breach, and I have them. So, what will you offer in exchange.” It was then fiona realised what she and mages actually were- slaves at auction.Trevely smiled lightly,

“Nothing.” Alexius frowned ,confused. Felix turned to him,

“She knows everything father.” Alexius’ gaze snapped to felix,

“Felix, what have you done?” Trevelyn kept the light tone in her voice, 

“We disarmed your trap before we arrived, I hope you don’t mind?” Alexius rose to his feet,

“I’ve yet to see the cleverness I’m afraid.” the anger in his voice increasing in intensity,

“You walk into my stronghold with your stolen mark- a gift you don’t even understand- and think you’re in control?” the fire crackled agitatedly as a small breeze tousled the flames- Alexius didn’t notice,

“You!” he said seething “are nothing but a mistake.” there was dull thud from the corridor- Alexius didn’t notice that either. Trevelyn put her hand on her hip,

“If you’re so knowledgeable, explain it to me.” she said examining her marked hand idly,

“It belongs to your betters. You wouldn’t even begin to understand its purpose.” he said oblivious to the hurried footsteps that got louder, Felix stepped forward his eyes concerned

“Father do you even know what you sound like?” Dorian slowly walked from behind a stone column,  disgust clear on his face.

“He sounds like the villainous cliche everyone expects us to be.” The magister furrowed his brows, not expecting his former student to be here

“Dorian, I offered you the chance to be apart of this! You turned me down. The elder one has power you would not believe. He will raise the imperium from it’s own ashes.” he said raising his hands as if the action would summon the elder one himself. 

 

Trevelyn shook her head, ‘typical’ she breathed quietly, Varric hummed in agreement.  This only made Alexius angrier, 

“He will make the world bow to mages once more. We will rule from the boeric ocean to the frozen seas.” Fiona clenched her fists. Shaking her head she stepped forward

“You can’t involve my people in this!” Dorian shook his head,

“Alexuis! This is exactly what we talked about  _ never _ wanting to happen! “ his voice broke a little, “Why would you support this?” Solas’ ear twitched as gurgle came from a guard following a quick whooshing noise, Felix reached out

“Stop it father. Give up the venatori. Let the southern mages fight the breach, and let’s go home!” he urged, begged… _ grovelled _ . 

 

Alexius turned to his son,

“No it’s the only way, he can save you!” Felix raised a brow

“Save me?” Alexius turned from him

“There is a way. The elder one promised that if I undo the mistake at the temple…” Felix shook his head

“I’m going to die, you need to accept that.” but Alexius ignored him, he pointed a Trevelyan 

“Seize them venatori. The elder one demands this woman’s life.” a grunt sounded from the corridor, Alexius turned just as his men fell to reveal Leliana’s agent’s standing behind them. Trevelyan straightened 

“Your men are dead. Alexius.” The magister shook his head, 

“You.” he seethed “are a mistake, you never should have existed!”  green sparks rose from his palm, Trevelyan tensed, the amulet floated upwards- Dorian flung a blast of magic at him

“No!” a green vortex appeared in the air greedily consuming the struggling forms and Evelyn and Dorian.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. a mutual friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorian and Evelyn find themselves in a world not their own

Trevelyan fell with splash, she slid a little trying to get to her feet. Dorian looked around curiously, before he could say anything however, two venatori ran into the room, halting at the sight of them

“Blood of the elder one! Where did they come from.” after a brief scuffle the mages had time to look confused, 

“Displacement? Interesting.” he murmured to himself, seemingly unconcerned, 

“It’s probably not was alexius intended,the rift must have moved us ...to what? The nearest confluence of arcane energy?” Evelyn had been the basics of these things in the circle- how she wished she had  _ learned _ them, she just threw fire at people. 

“Feel free to start making sense Dorian.” Dorian raised a brow,

“You  _ are _ a mage aren’t you? I thought even the circle taught you southerners something.” he said, Evelyn took no offence, she shrugged,

“Not a very good one- that’s why I have this.” she pointed to the top of her staff, which resembled a war hammer, Dorian scoffed something good naturedly, Evelyn grew confused again

“Last thing I remember, we were in the main hall.” she said, Dorian mused to himself

“Let’s see, if we’re still in the castle...oh!” Dorian grew excited “It's not simply where -it’s when!”

Trevelyan stepped back, still confused as Dorian explained

“Alexius used the amulet as a focus. It moved us through time!” Trevelyan groaned, running her hands through her hair

“That… does not sound good.” Dorian raised his shoulders slightly, 

“It sounds _ terrible,  _ Depending on when we are and what happened while we were away.” Evelyn hummed in agreement wringing out the ends of her coat, Dorian turned,

“Let’s look around, see where it took us. Then we can figure out how to get back… if we can.” Trevelyan rummaged through one of the corpses belongings, pulling out a key she went over to the door and put it in the lock- it opened. 

“Come on pretty boy.” she said already halfway down the hall, Dorian paused

“I am pretty.” 

 

Trevelyan swung the hammer of her staff down onto the venatori’s back with a sickening crunch. She wiped away a spot of blood from her cheek, Dorian shuddered

“Ah- Gastly, I can’t see why you don’t just use your magic.” Evelyn shrugged,

“Can’t focus in battle- the rush goes to my head, that’s good for brute force put not for fine tuning magic.” she said, Dorian tilted his head to the side considering,

“I suppose he said before the two ambled their way to the lower cells.

 

They found fiona, appearing sickly and thin in the nauseating red glow of lyrium that encased her. She rose her head, eyes widening in disbelief,

“You’re alive- how?”  Trevelyan rushed to the bars,

“Fiona? What happened to you? Is that… red lyrium?” Fiona coughed and wheezed

“It- it is a disease, it grows on you when you are near it for too long and then they mine your corpse for more.” Dorian rushed

“Can you tell us the date, It’s very important.” Fiona re adjusted the arm supporting her

“Harvestmere… 9:42 dragon.” Dorian’s eyes widened

“9:42? We’ve missed an entire year.” he said Trevelyan turned to him,

“We’ve got to get out of here, go back in time.” she gushed, Fiona spoke again

“Please… stop this from happening.” she coughed “Alexius serves the elder one. More powerful that the maker… no one challenges him and lives.” 

“Are only hope is to find the amulet that alexius used to send us here.” he looked almost hopeful

“If it still exists we can use it to get back.” said Trevelyan, Dorian nodded 

“Exactly. Well it might, it could also turn us into paste.”said Dorian as an afterthought, Fiona wheezed

“You  _ must  _ try… Leliana your spymaster… she is here. Find her.” she said, Trevelyan made eye contact,

“We will.” 

 

“Red lyrium.. Is an infection? Maker why is it coming out of the walls?!” cried Dorian as the made their way through the castle dungeon, Trevelyan looked at him

“Are you sure you want to find out?” the climbed down a set of stairs just as a dreary tune echoed round a corner, 

“Three hundred bottles of beer on the wall” groaned a voice, ‘bull?’ thought Evelyn

“Take one down pass it around, 299 bottles of beer.” he sung, He wasn’t encased in lyrium like fiona had been, but it’s eerie red glow had shown itself in his eyes. He saw them

“You’re not dead?” he seemed to ask himself before his face hardened, “you’re supposed to be dead, there was a burn on the ground and everything.” Dorian was quick to explain

“Alexius didn’t kill us, he sent us forward in time. This is our future.” 

“Well it’s  _ my  _ present. And in my past, I definitely saw you both die.” he responded, Evelyn warily examined him from her space outside the cell,

“Are you alright? You don’t look well.” she asked, Bull seemed unfazed

“Red lyrium, If I’m lucky it will kill me. If not...I’m hoping I’ll die fighting.” Evelyn gasped,

“You’re dying-” Dorian interrupted her, 

“No he’s not, If we find alexius , we go back and none of this ever happened.” Bull fixed him with a hard stare,

“Alexius isn’t the one you need to worry about- It’s his elder one.” he stated “he killed the empress of Orlais and used the confusion to launch an invasion of the south, the army was all demons. Have you ever fought an army of demons? I don’t recommend it.”  Trevelyan’s heart thumped, she swallowed

“Well… shit.” Bull nodded, The three of them made their way out, as they reached the top of the stairs however, bull stopped them,

“Wait I need to get a friend.” he said walking off to the right, Trevelyn frowned as she followed him,

“Friend?” she asked confused, bull nodded,

“Yeah, a short while after we were imprisoned, we heard the guards talking  about someone hiding in the castle- Venatori disappearing one by one. After two months she managed to break Solas and I out of our cells.” he said as they walked down another set of stairs, Trevelyan listened carefully as he told them, “three of us really managed to cause some trouble for them Vints.” he mused, “Anyway we were captured eventually, then Alexius found out that she was seeing things in her dreams- visions- he’s been obsessed with her ever since.” he said pushing the door open,

“Visions?” asked Dorian excited “you mean a seer? Your friend is a seer?” Bull rumbled a response,

“Apparently” Trevelyan froze; a seer? The woman on the road! Was it her? She  _ warned  _ us. Bull turned,

“You okay boss?” she nodded

“Yeah I’m fine.” 

 

They found themselves in a different part of the dungeon, one where the cell’s were mostly flooded. The came to the second cell from the end,

“Hey short stuff,  you still there?” asked bull,

 

They were greeted with the sight of a pale form manacled to the wall, a mop of white hair hanging from the shoulders limply, It groaned

“You get out again Bull?” asked the same soft voice that had warned Trevelyan on the road all those weeks ago, 

“You!” exclaimed Evelyn, approaching the bars, the head turned slightly- not strong enough to lift itself fully, lolling like head of a dead bird. She paused before she spoke trying to recall the owner of the voice she had heard.

“Time wasted yet?” Bull looked between the two,

“you know each other?”  he asked, Trevelyan nodded wordlessly, the figure spoke again, feet splashing in the water as she tried helplessly to adjust herself, one foot emerging from the water, black and rotting like the feet of some of the soldiers that evelyn had seen in the mire once.

“We met, briefly. About time you arrived ,herald. I was waiting.” Evelyn’s eyes were fixed on her

“Sorry, we traveled-” the voice interrupted her 

“I know” it said tensely, Evelyn swallowed uncomfortably, Dorian examined her curiously,

“You are a seer aren’t you?” he asked the woman laughed dryly

“So I’ve been told.” but her voice held little mirth. Bull fiddled with the bars trying to rattle them lose, she stopped him,

“I’m not much use I’m afraid.” Iron bull flicked his eye to her hands, stilling. 

 

Her fingers had been cut off- reducing them to nothing but bloody stumps, oozing and crusty  with infection and dry blood. Clearly removed in some sort of torture process, Bull groaned

“Ah shit. Did they interrogate you again” he flung his hands down from the bars, the figure coughed.

“Wasn’t much to tell them, my visions are vague at best.” Trevelyan leaned in

“Where can find you when all of this is over?” Her eyes stung a little- she hadn’t believed her and look what happened. There was silence before the woman spoke,

“You can find me in Denerim… If you have use of me now.” Evelyn winced, Bull patted Evelyn’s shoulder

“Come on boss let’s get solas and varric.”  They reluctantly Stepped back from the figure in the cell

“Try singing” said bull quietly “keeps you sane.” the figure laughed, head bobbing 

“That implies I was sane to start with.” Bull smiled a little, 

“Still fiery” he muttered.

 

It was Varric they found next, he saw Bull first. He smiled humorously

“ Finally decided to involve me in one of your escape attempts Tiny? Where is-”  Bull shook his head, Varric stood,

“She’s not dead is she?” he asked, Bull sighed

“No, not dead.” Varric’s face became wrought with a mixture of horror and relief, “what did they do?” before Bull could answer however, Evelyn and Dorian stepped into view

“Andraste’s sacred knickers! You’re alive” he smiled “where were you? How did you escape?” Dorian took it upon himself to explain,

“We didn’t escape, Alexius sent us into the future.” Bull broke the lock, Varric stepped out,

“Everything that happens to you is weird.” he said shaking his head, amusement  crossing his features. Evelyn smiled, grasping his shoulder warmly,

“You might be right about that.” Varric’s face turned somber, he turned to Bull

“You didn’t tell me what happened to her.” Bull lifted up one of his hands, wiggling his fingers before sharply closing his fist, Varric looked down at his own hands, as a rogue there was little you could do with only missing one or two.

“Bastards.” he muttered before he and Bull followed Evelyn up the stairs,

“Any Idea where solas is?” asked Evelyn, Varric shrugged

“He was in the cell next to mine until recently- they moved him.” Bull tilted his head

“I heard some guards talking about a mage prisoner in the upper south cells.” supplied Bull.

They made their way there, 

“You said you broke out?” asked Evelyn as they walked,  Bull nodded

“Yeah, seven times, I lost count of how many times Solas did.” Evelyn looked surprised

“Solas?”  the apostate was quiet and scholarly most of the time- it was an odd image. Varric eyes widened nodding,

“I was surprised as you are, quite the rebel streak there. Never saw that coming.” Bull shrugged,

“Shit like this changes you.” Varric hummed in agreement,

“Remember when those corpses started showing up? I was certain they were Leliana’s handiwork, until we found out snowdrop was lurking around in the castle- that went on for weeks until she decided to let you and chuckles out” Bull rumbled amused, 

“Still upset you didn’t get in on the fun?” he asked. Evelyn assumed that ‘Snowdrop’ was the seer due to the bedraggled mop of white hair that had flopped over her face, before she could ask what her real name was however they had found Solas’ cell, he turned around to face them, jumping a little at the sight of Evelyn, he tilted his head.

“You’re Alive?” he asked before doubt slipped into his voice “we saw you die!”, Dorian spoke

“The spell alexius cast displaced us in time. We just got here so to speak” hope flickered across the elf’s face as he stepped from the cell, 

“Can you reverse the process?” He asked “you could return and reverse the events of the last year!” he said in a manner so intellectually she found it even harder to imagine him going on the multiple rampages Varric and Bull had described, he had the same sickly red glow as the others,

“I’m dying but no matter-” he paused, eyes searching the group before his eyes flicked to bull, “where is she? Is she out already?” he asked Bull frowned, Solas face grew angry, 

“Bull? Tell me!” he said approaching Iron bull. Evelyn could see it now. Bull looked sad,

“They cut off her fingers, her feet are rotting from being in the water to long.” he said, Solas’s expression faltered slightly before he angrily muttered to himself in elvish. Evelyn stepped forward

“We are going after Alexius, Solas.” Solas nodded.  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. Dancing dogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn sets out to find the seer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this update has taken so long- writer's block is a b*tch but here it is. the curtain rises once more, enjoy.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Asked Dorian. The Room was packed tight with people, roaring, laughing and bellowing in the dim light. Dorian was trying as hard as possible to not touch any of the ‘unwashed southerners’ as they looked up at the building-which could barely be considered structurally secure- Varric Shrugged,

“It’s where Leliana sent us.” he said, looking around he smiled, “my kind of place.” he said, It was indeed, all it needed was a couple rooms to rent, tables and a dear friend named Hawke to fit in right at home, complete with drunkards, bad ale and the sounds of fighting- it was the closest he would likely ever get to ‘the hanged man’ in Ferelden. Of course, the place they had been sent to was not a tavern, ‘the dancing dog’ was a fighting pit nestled in the dirtiest, dim alleyway in the Denerim docks. Solas looked almost as disgusted as Dorian as he looked around; he probably was as disgusted but he was better at hiding it. He turned to Evelyn,

“It is probably best that you keep your gloves on as Leliana suggested- it would not do well for the Herald of Andraste to be seen here,” he said stepping out of a drunkard’s path as he stumbled by- barely supported by the prostitute under his arm. Dorian sniffed

“Or just for hygiene reasons.” he said looking around disdainfully, Sera However didn’t seem fazed- in fact, she even looked excited, perhaps it was to be back in Denerim again or perhaps she just really wanted in on the betting, who knows?

 

Blackwall had also come along at Evelyn’s invitation, Bull had originally intended to come with them too, but he had waved them away the next morning with a terrible hangover. He didn’t seem disgusted either, at least not at the state of the place- rather at the less than virtuous patrons within. The group walked into the building, the screaming of the crowd was deafening and the announcer stepped into the pit, a limp and bloody man being hauled off through one of the side doors, the victor limping off through his own door- not without snatching his earnings from the announcer. The announcer was a gangly man with cropped hair, grinning charismatically at the crowd,

“Ladies and gentlemen, for the fight you have all been waitin’ for… our reigning champion has yet another challenger.” the crowd quieted a little with anticipation, silent save for the ones placing bets- the bookie scribbling away at a large blackboard. 

 

Dorian and the other’s had been scanning the crowd, Evelyn sighed defeatedly

“Can’t see a woman with white hair anywhere! I’m not sure she is here.” she said to the others over the noise, Varric murmured in agreement, Solas however paused

“I would not be so sure of that.” he said turning back to look at the pit, Doria nodded and did the same,

“I feel a mage nearby- their aura is very… noticeable.” said the Elf furrowing his brows, the others confused followed the two mages to the pit, Sera did too- though mumbling all the way about mages being weird. 

 

“Presenting our challenger!... the Mad dog!” screamed the announcer, Dorian’s moustache twitched,

“Not our seer I think.” he said as a huge, bare-chested man entered the pit, the crowd rattled the wooden barriers, stamping their feet and roaring loudly as the ‘Mad dog.’ opened his arms and spun slowly on the spot cockily, The announcer gestured to the other side,

“And our reigning Champion!... The Mongrel! Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy.” he said with a crooked bow before backing out of the pit, Evelyn raised a Brow,

“The Mongrel? An interesting name.” she said Varric chuckled,

“You're telling me!” he said cheerfully.

 

Out of the crowd stepped white-haired woman. Her skin was alarmingly white like Dorian had said- like chalk. She wore brown leather breeches and a matching vest and boots, visibly scuffed and worn. The woman’s white hair was wound tightly into a bun… and a set of small horns protruded from her head. Her head hung lowly despite the crowd patting her on the back and cheering her on, However, when she looked up there was a wicked glint in the red flash of her eyes- Evelyn had seen the same look in Bull’s eye when he fought. 

 

The woman took up a boxing stance, her bandaged fists raising into position and she adjusted her stance so she stood side face. Evelyn’s eyes widened,

“that’s her.” she breathed, Solas turned to her,

“You never said she was qunari.” he said curiously, Evelyn shook her head, eyes still fixed on the Seer, 

“Didn’t see her horns.” she breathed. Sera’s eyes had widened at the sight of the Woman

“Smaller than I thought but still…” she murmured, Evelyn turned to her one brow arching, Sera grinned impishly, “woof.” she said before dashed off closer to the edge of the pit to get a better look, The woman was on the shorter side even by human standards, she would have barely stood at the same height as Cassandra, that was not to say she was weak or willowy however; her hips were wide and her thighs strong, the muscles in her shoulders rippling subtly under her sin as she rolled her fists- readying herself for the fight. She was quite feminine too, Evelyn was not oblivious to the warden’s sudden silence, wrenching his eyes away from her heaving breast that swelled and deflated with each breath, pupil’s widening with excitement. All this and the fighting had not yet begun.

 

Solas eyed the woman curiously, no doubt wondering why a seer was in a fist fight. Her aura had been odd, any mages would have stuck out in a crowd such as this but hers was very different in the sense that it just felt off… disconnected almost. Most mage’s auras were tightly concentrated in the space close around them, however, hers was the opposite- faint and wide spreading, more like the trace of magic left behind by a mage, it was indeed most curious. Those were Solas’s primary thoughts, his secondary thoughts surrounded her parentage and origin. Solas had encountered a fair few Tal-Vashoth in his travels, the men and women of the species were always huge and more or less always a grey colour, this woman was small and pale, perhaps the name mongrel had a kernel of truth in it. 

 

The woman and her opponent circled each other, The man swung first- the woman sidestepped the blow, returning with a quick jab of her own to the ribs. The two circled again, the woman received a hit to the stomach, stumbling slightly before Slamming her hands onto his ears- the man staggered, his balance thrown off as he fought off the ringing in his ears. The Woman sent a knee into his stomach, swinging her leg under his to knock him flat onto his back. She was cocky in her ignorance of the man on the ground. With a groan the man returned to his feet, charging into the woman so she slammed into the wood. The man set a kick to the ribs before circling away. 

 

Katari hissed, pulling herself to her feet, standing she looked up at an elven woman with short blonde hair grinning down at her from the edge of the edge of the pit. Katari couldn’t help herself as she winked in the Elf’s direction before turning back to the fight. 

 

Dorian raised a brow at the exchange amused, Wincing as the Qunari woman barreled into the man- who was easily twice her size- and sent him to the ground in a manner similar to the way she had been seconds ago. She greeted the man with an uppercut, then a blow to the chin, twirling out of the trajectory of his blind jab. 

 

Katari had gotten sloppy in the past week- success did that to you, winning these fights had become too easy for her and she would be lying if she said she wasn’t enjoying the reality check. The man was a mountain, muscles bulging and pink like legs of ham- most humans she had noticed, smelled like meat left out in the sun- at least the unwashed ones did, so when she noticed the soft aroma of perfume, ink and magic radiating from one side of the pit, she looked up curiously.

 

Evelyn was not sure if the Qunari had sensed their gaze on her but she looked up at them as if she had been slapped in the face, eyes softening with the recognition she raised her hands to signal the end of the fight. The Crowd went silent in confusion,

“I’m done for tonight.” said the woman moving to leave the ring when her opponent got to her feet, spitting at her back. Solas wrinkled his nose in disgust ‘ _ humans _ ’. Evelyn went to move but Varric held her back, 

“Wait, Herald, things are going to get interesting,” he said as the Qunari halted to a stop. The Mad dog spoke,

“Oxman bitch can’t handle me? Dumb Animal- Am I not good enough for you eh? How fuckin’ predictable.” he sneered, Solas watched in amazement as the woman’s pointed ear _twitched_ at  the insult irritably. She turned her head slightly,

“Predictable… really.” her voice had lowered dangerously. In a flash, the woman turned, ran and jumped so her body went horizontal so that her feet slammed into his chest with an almighty force, the two thudded to the ground. 

Katari used her hands to flip back up onto her feet, sending a kick to the man’s face with a sickening crack while he was winded before strolling over to the bookie, snatching her earnings from his pocket and swiping a bottle of ale from the sill.

Varric broke the stunned silence,

“Bull’s so gonna regret missing this.” he said just before the crowd broke into a series of cheers, the announcer bellowing something as the woman strolled up to the group, taking the cork out with her teeth and taking a swig just as she reached them. She met Evelyn’s eyes

“This is not the best place to talk.” she said softly, gesturing the group outside. Solas tilted his head at the woman, what an enigma indeed.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. On the road again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari gets acquainted

Just as the group headed for the door Sera bounced up in front of them, Katari smiled raising an eyebrow, she turned to Evelyn

“She with you?” she asked Evelyn nodded. Katari turned back to the energetic elf and held out her hand,

“Katari.” she offered, Sera grinned, practically snatching her hand to shake it,

“Sera.” she said realizing she had been shaking her hand for way too long she dropped it, Katari smiled at her amused.

 

Katari swiped her belongings from a corner, throwing her cloak around her shoulders and adjusting her scabbard before they walked outside.

“I cannot help but notice that you don't carry a staff,” said Solas as they walked into the street. Katari looked at him, seemingly unaffected by the fact he knew she was a mage,

“Never have.” she said. Solas’ brows furrowed, The qunari shrugged “hard enough to travel looking like this.” she said pointing to her face “let alone with a staff strapped to my back.” The elf frowned at the information but said no more on the matter.

“I take it you have received no official training?” asked Dorian, Katari shot him a dry look,

“How many Tal-Vashoth do you think there are in circles?" she deadpanned "I’m an apostate, just as all other mages are now.” _Thank fuck we didn't bring Vivienne_ thought Evelyn, the Enchanter was not going to be happy when she showed up with yet another apostate. 

“Are you staying somewhere?” asked Katari, the herald nodded. it would be best to talk about these things in private.

Once the group had reached the inn Evelyn gestured them all into her room- which was rather small for a group of seven. Dorian had immediately sprawled across the bed and Varric claimed the only chair, resulting in the others awkwardly standing around. Evelyn closed and locked the door behind her. Flopping down next to Dorian and removing her cloak and gloves. Katari stood cautiously in front of the door,

“How did you find me?” she said eyes flicking nervously around the room, Evelyn looked at the others,

“This is going to be difficult to explain,” she said, Katari’s eyes narrowed

“Try me,” she said, Evelyn sighed and gave a brief explanation as to what happened in Redcliffe, Katari nodded taking it all in,

“I was in this future you saw? _I_ told you where to find me?” she asked, Evelyn nodded. The qunari was silent for a few moments, before she asked another question, though not before taking another mouthful from her bottle of ale,

“And why? Herald, did you come and find me?” she said moving to sit on the small table next to Varric in his chair. Solas took it upon himself to answer, his eyes meeting hers.

“The insight of a seer would be invaluable,” he said leaning on his staff, Katari scoffed

“I’m not sure a qunari ‘seer’ would look good for your inquisition, not to mention one you found in a Denerim fighting pit. You know nothing about me.” she said sipping at her ale, Blackwall- who had been watching the scene unfold for a while now- surprised everyone when he spoke,

“Seer or not my Lady, the skills you displayed in that pit would be invaluable too.” Katari turned to look at the man, She had never been called a ‘lady’ before by anyone other than Zevran. She blinked in surprise, it was the last thing she would have ever expected from a human. A pink blush stained her cheeks. The man was a few inches taller than her with broad shoulders and a thick black beard- handsome in his own rugged way. She flickered her gaze over to him 

“It is kind of you to say so,” she said abashedly.

Dorian furrowed his brows confused, you would have thought he had just complimented her beauty or something- not her fighting skills. ‘Southerners are odd.’ he concluded. Everyone shifted uncomfortably, apart from Sera and Varric who wore wide grins.  _Ah, young love,_ he thought to himself before looking at Blackwall once more,  _Well maybe not so young._  Evelyn coughed to get their attention.

 

Katari turned away from the handsome warden

“You want me to join the inquisition?” she asked softly

“Yes I do.” said Evelyn getting to her feet. The Tal-Vashoth leaned on her knees, thinking for a moment before she hopped off the table and approached her,

“I’m in.” she said shaking the Herald’s unmarked hand and finishing off her ale.

\---

Katari greeted them at the gates of Denerim the next morning, her hood was up once more and her daggers were sheathed. Sera, Varric, and Solas were already there but the Herald, Blackwall, and Dorian had yet to show themselves. Varric smiled widely from atop his pony and waved

“Good Morning,” he said as the qunari approached “Katari Isn’t it? Interesting name, is it Qunari?" he asked before mumbling "Huh that rhymed” with a grin, Katari nodded in his direction

“That it is. And what do you call yourself master dwarf?” she asked mounting her own horse, who she had bought the previous evening, a large draft horse. She swung on top of him with ease despite his hugeness, Varric whistled

“He’s a big one.” he said before offering his name “Varric Tethras.” he said holding up his hand to her, she shook it warmly,

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Tethras.” she said patting her horse's neck. Sera trotted up beside them on a slender speckled mount,

“You talk real fancy, ya know that don’t ya?” She said squinting in the early morning sun. Katari smiled

“Perhaps,” she said simply. Solas who had been listening adjusted his position in his saddle so he could face them

“You mean to say that she speaks properly,” he said cooly, Sera snorted

“Talking proper doesn’t mean you better than anyone else.” she said to her surprise Katari agreed with her,

“True enough, I’d rather be stuck with an illiterate who has sense than with a well-educated idiot.” she said softly, Varric laughed

“Truer words were never said.” he patted his pony warmly. Katari Turned her hooded head to the elven man,

“My apologies, I mean no offense.” she said bowing her head at him, His brows raised slightly in surprise at her politeness. (something he was not used to receiving, especially from a stranger)

“No offense taken- I agree with you to an extent.” he said to the qunari, smiling a little at her “my name is Solas if we are exchanging names.” he said touching his fingers to his chest, 

“A pleasure to meet you as well Solas.”

 

Varric decided to change the subject while they were waiting for the others,

“So Katari, I’m guessing you’re Tal Vashoth.” he said in her direction, Katari nodded

“I am.” she said

“you fight in the pits for a living?” he said, Katari, shrugged

"It pays well enough." she said nonchalantly

“Your speech is very formal for a pit fighter.” Observed Solas,

“Until a few months ago I was part of a mercenary company; The Valo-Kas.” she offered,

“The ones that were there at the Conclave?” asked Varric, Katari nodded grimly

“One in the same.” she said, Varric frowned,

“I am sorry.” said Solas, Katari waved him off

“It is alright- many made it out.” she said, “I hadn't been with the company for half a year when it happened.” Varric looked intrigued,

“Why did you leave?” he asked, it took a moment for Katari to answer,

“Personal reasons.” Was all she said on the matter “They are the ones that taught me Common.” she said, Solas Turned his head to her

“It is not your first language?” he asked curiously, Katari shook her head

“I have only been speaking it for a year.” Solas tilted his head towards her,

You speak very well.” Said Solas,

“Thank you.” she said

Before anyone could ask anything else Evelyn, Blackwall and Dorian showed up, Evelyn waved at them,

“Good morning!” said the herald cheerfully.

 

Varric it seemed was the most talkative of the group and he had himself set on finding out more about Katari.

“So you mentioned that you only recently learned common” he said as he rode alongside her, “do you speak any other languages?” he asked, Katari nodded

“I know some Antivan, a little Orlesian and a handful of phrases of the Avvar tongue” she listed, Varric’s eyebrows shot up

“Antivan, Orlesian _and_ Avvar, quick the mix there- bet there is a story or two behind that” the qunari shrugged.

“I like to know when I’m being insulted.” she said which earned a chuckle from Varric. Blackwall had slowed his horse to ride alongside them,

“I didn’t introduce myself earlier, I’m Blackwall.” he offered, holding out his hand for her to shake,

“It’s Nice to meet you Blackwall.” she greeted softly, he nodded letting go her hand

“And I you.” he said, he spared a glance at her horse,

“Draft horse? Not usually a Mount.” he said, Dorian chimed in

“Yes, that thing is huge- I’ve never seen one outside farm work- surely you’d want something swifter?” he asked looking at the large dapple grey creature. Katari shook her head

“What he lacks in speed he makes up for in endurance. Wouldn’t have it any other way.” she said smiling down at him Fondly.

“You seem very close to a horse you only got this morning” said Solas tilting his head to the side slightly. Katari nodded

“I suppose, He is a gentle creature for one so large. Though I have yet to name him.” she said thoughtfully “I’ll come up with something” she said quietly to herself. There was more to it than that. At least that is what Solas thought. he didn’t pry- there was no real need- though he’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t just a little curious.

 

Aside from the incident on the rod all that time ago he had witnessed little of her prophetic abilities and was completely thrown by the way her magic was behaving; her subtle aura flicked around erratically, licking and curling like smouldering heat begging to turn into flame, trying in vain to pull itself in condense and intensify around her. It was almost as if something was repelling her magic away from her like a variant of a templar’s smite, he had yet to see her use magic either and was intrigued as to whether it would behave just as oddly. He let the others ride ahead, falling back to ride beside her.

 

“Do you know any elvish?” Solas asked curiously, after mentioning her affinity for languages he was intrigued, Katari turned to him and shook her head

“No. The Dalish I have encountered in my travels were… hostile.” she said, Solas suppressed a sneer at the mention of the Dalish. He nodded in agreement.

“You are not Dalish.” she said, Solas raised a brow- he most certainly was not.

“Oh? What gives it away?” he asked neutrality, she smirked in his direction

“You have no vasillin, no accent and you have yet to call me a shemlen.” she said with a wry look, he choked out a dry laugh, looking down at the reins before looking back up,

“True enough.” he said. Looking at her she appeared very open, so he saw no harm in asking her a question or two,

“You look like no qunari I have met either.” he said cautiously examining her to ensure that he hadn’t offended her in any way. seeing no negative reaction he continued “I must admit- I am intrigued.” Katari, used to Zevran’s endless questions was unruffled

“Ask away.” she invited openly, Solas was surprised

“Truly?” he asked, she nodded in response. Varric turned to her,

“You going to regret saying that,” he said to her, Katari only shrugged as Solas began his questions. Once again she rode in the company of a curious elf, she smiled at the familiarity- some things never change it seems,

  
  



	14. a rose by any other name

A day away from Haven a bandit attack interrupted what would have been a peaceful journey. They had all jumped into the fight with vigour, Solas suspected that the quietness of their travels had left many of them restless; though no one cared to say it aloud. It wasn’t a particularly long fight either- barely a scuffle, but it seemed to sate everyone's appetite for action.  Over time the party had grown used to each other's fighting styles, so Katari’s addition to the fight had been refreshing (If somewhat confusing) as well. 

Warden Blackwall- the only official warrior in the party- Had charged into the fray; Shield raised as he charged, sweeping away blows as he broke through the defences- an image that would not have looked place in out of a child’s storybook. Evelyn took to the fighting as well, she may have been a mage but you would not have thought so to look at her, her attacks were fuelled by little more than brute force- magic only occasionally showing itself to intensify the swings of her hammer.  She was a warrior in all but name, throwing herself into action amid the chaos.

 

Varric had very nearly lost his grip on Bianca when Katari Darted past him, Using the D- guard of her dagger to punch a Bandit in the jaw when he had gotten too close to the Dwarven archer. The bandit stumbled back, a bruise already beginning to appear. With a grunt he chased after the Qunari, swinging his sword like a madman- not even once managing to hit her as she jumped and dodged out of the way. 

 

Solas furrowed his brows as he threw up a barrier- Katari had not used magic once, even Evelyn who admitted that she had little proficiency in the arcane used magic on occasion. He did not know what he had been expecting; after all, she didn’t even carry a staff but He had thought that perhaps in the midst of battle he might have witnessed a spell or two. 

 

Katari used a bandit as a shield, the man staggered confusedly before his friend’s arrow buried itself in his chest. Discarding the man to bleed out she dodged the blow of a longsword, while the blade missed her, it managed to catch her dagger- knocking it from her hands. It landed several feet away. She didn’t go in pursuit of her missing blade- she ducked under a swing again, bodily throwing herself at the man so that they fell to the ground with a clatter. The others had finished off the rest of the bandits so that Katari was the only one left fighting. Neither Varric or Sera could get a clear shot of the bandit as the two were practically wrestling on the ground. Blackwall dashed forwards as did Evelyn, however, neither of them reached her before she killed him.

 

One arm flung out desperately reaching for the dagger inches away from her fingertips, with a frustrated growl she rolled herself the side, snatching the dagger from the grass as she simultaneously rolled herself atop the man. The bandit clawed at her knee as is crushed down on his windpipe, hastily she flung the blade into his side. The clawing slowed, the struggles weakened and the breathing stopped. She said nothing as she got up from the ground, swiping a handkerchief from her cloak to dab away the blood that had splattered on her breeches -as if it was a task as mundane as making your bed.

Later that evening by the campfire Varric approached her, sitting down on the log beside her.

“So Katari. You never told me what your name meant.” he said, Katari spoke slowly as if considering her words,

“No, I did not.” she said putting aside the knife she had been sharpening. The others who had been eating or doing their own thing to listen, curious to know more about their new comrade.

Katari leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees. She looked off into to the distance as if recalling a memory.

“It actually started out as a nickname of sorts.” she said, Dorian closed the book he was reading and turned to face her, as did the others. Sensing a good story Varric leaned forward eagerly.

“When I first started out with Valo-Kas, Many did not take me seriously because of my height. when they made comments I would lash out- which they thought was very humorous, so sarcastically they called my ‘Katari’ -which in qunlat translates roughly to ‘one who brings death.’” she said, Dorian’s eyes were open wide

“That’s what your name means?” he asked disbelieving, Katari nodded. Varric whistled 

“Ominous.” he said “So it just stuck?” he asked curiously, Katari shook her head

“Not at first no. At first it was just teasing. “ she said, the firelight flicked over her face as her eyes glossed over, her head miles away and months ago. She continued

“I had gone to bathe one evening in a small pool nearby were we set up camp. After I had got out from the water and dressed I was attacked by three bandits. I killed them. The noise had drawn my friends to the pool where they saw me finish off the last bandit- I had no weapons on me and he was huge....so I gouged out his eyes with my thumbs.” Blackwall visible winced at the sentence- it was not a nice thing to imagine, she continued

“Kaariss- one of my friends looked at me and said ‘you really are the bringer of death’. After that the name name stuck.” the party was quiet after her story, 

“Why didn’t you use your magic?” asked Solas breaking the silence, Katari’s eyes found his

“At the time I had no idea I was a mage.” she said softly. Solas frowned; most mages discovered their magic during childhood- How young had she been at the time? Sera spoke up

“You just took out his eyes? ewwww! Gross.” she said wrinkling her nose. Katari smiled a little at the action, Varric however was still intrigued about the name however

“That happens often? You qunari just pick and choose your names?” he said thinking back to Bull who said that he had chosen his own name, Katari tilted her head side to side thinking

“Kind of. You don’t have names in the qun- only titles, so most chose their own. It has more significance amongst the Tal Vashoth though. Choosing a new name is usually the first act of freedom many have, It’s also about becoming your own person.” she said thoughtfully. Varric nodded, that made sense. Varric began his own story involving some Tal-Vashoth that he had encountered with Hawke, Katari drifted off in thought. It was nice to be sitting around a campsite again exchanging stories. 

  
  
  
  



	15. welcome to the inquisition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari arrives in Haven and meets a few interesting characters

Katari put up her hood as they approached Haven, earning a few odd looks as they rode towards the stables- people were no doubt wondering who the cloaked stranger with the Herald was. Passing by a set of tents Katari could not help but draw her gaze to the large Qunari standing out in the snow; she was not the only one out of place it seemed. Varric noticed her line of sight

“That’s Tiny.” he said answering her silent question, “Leads mercenary company called ‘the bull’s chargers’”  he explained further, Katari nodded. 

 

Katari dismounted her horse once at the stables, stroking him softly on the nose and whispering him praises, Blackwall came to her side and patted the horse on the neck.

“Named him yet?” he asked curiously, Katari smiled a little in his direction

“I was thinking about Titan.” she said, Blackwall seemed to consider it carefully before nodding

“A fitting enough name I think.” he said looking at the large creature. Evelyn walked by and tapped the two on the shoulder

“Come on you two. The others will want to meet you.” she said

 

Katari followed the Herald through Haven until they reached the Chantry. She had never been inside a Chantry before although she had passed many on her travels, Once inside she examined the coloured light cast by the stained windows curiously. Evelyn waved her through a door at the end of the room. 

 

Inside was a large table in the centre of the room, rolled out on it was a large map of Orlais and Ferelden. Around the table stood four people, Leliana- who she had already met- a woman in a puffy gold shirt, a blonde haired man with a fur mantle and a warrior woman with cropped black hair. The blonde man nodded at Evelyn,

“Herald” he greeted, 

“Commander Cullen.”! She replied stiffly, Katari flicked her eyes between the two sensing some serious tension. ‘interesting’ she thought ‘what on earth had they done to piss one another off so much?”. Cullen fixed his gaze on the hooded figure behind Evelyn, she noticed his hand twitch towards his sword reflexively, ‘military training- most likely.’ she observed

“I trust this is the  _ seer _ you went looking for?” he said voice practically dripping with distrust, his hand was twitching again ‘reflexive self-defence.’ Katari thought ‘general distrust of strangers? Unlikely.’ Her mind went haywire trying to figure him out. ‘Young for a commander. Must have a great deal of experience to make up for it.’ she deduced, ‘but what on earth had he done to garner respect from the left and right hand of the divine?’ Evelyn, oblivious to Katari’s brainstorming nodded

“She is.” she said turning to the qunari furrowing her brows. “You can take your hood down you know.”

 

Leliana’s eyes widened a fraction, remembering how Zevran had uttered a similar phrase before her with a cloaked figure behind him- could it be? 

 

Slowly Katari raised her hands to her hood, taking a deep breath before pulling down her hood, she heard someone gasp. Nervously she flicked her eyes up to look at them, suddenly self-conscious in a room full of humans. The commander had taken a step back in surprise, his eyes open wide. The woman in the puffy shirt looked flustered, the grip on her quill faltering but was otherwise unaffected. The warrior woman had raised her eyebrows but had otherwise remained unfazed- Leliana’s reaction was much the same. Katari swallowed

“It is a pleasure to see you again lady nightingale.” she greeted politely, Leliana nodded in her direction

“I was glad to learn that my intel had helped you to find your friends.” she said, The Warrior woman flicked her eye’s between the two suspisicously,

“You know each other?” she asked warily, the nightingale nodded before looking back at Katari

“We do. She came here seeking news of  the Valo-Kas after the conclave exploded.”  she elaborated, the Commander looked skeptical

“You truly believe this woman to be seer?” he asked the Herald, before the herald could answer however, Katari spoke up

“I never claimed to be a seer.” she said “the one the herald encountered in the future did.” the warrior woman looked confused

“But on the road you-” Katari shook her head, 

“I had only recently discovered that my dreams could sometimes come true.” she said softly. The commander loosened the grip on his pommel but didn’t let go. Katari furrowed her brows

“Are you a templar?” she asked, it made sense to her, _ ‘military training, young but would have had plenty experience due to the mage uprising. Respected by the left and right hand of the divine. Distrustful of mages. Goes to grab sword on reflex; traumatic experience.’  _ yes that made sense to her, her deductions were proved to be correct when the commander spluttered

“Yes. well no- former templar.” he said, Evelyn glanced at her amused at the commanders reaction, 

“Did you see that in a vision?” the Herald asked curiously, Katari shook her head, glancing at the templar briefly

“No. merely an observation.” she said quietly. Leliana cleared her throat,

“I believe introductions are in order.” she said, the warrior woman stepped forward

“I am seeker Cassandra Pentaghast.” she said nodding at Katari, she gestured to the commander

“As you may have guessed, this is Commander Cullen.” she said, the commander nodded too- though hesitantly, Finally, she gestured towards the woman in the gold shirt, “And this is Josephine montilyet, our ambassador,” Katari observed the woman as she stepped forward

“A pleasure to meet you, mistress...” taking in the woman Katari smiled- she would recognise that accent anywhere, she too stepped forward raising Josephine’s hand to her lip kissing it softly, 

“Katari, es un placer conocerte también, mi señora.” she greeted smiling, Josephine flushed before speaking excitedly,

“¿sabes Antivan?” she asked, Katari beamed before saying

“algunos, mi señora.” , Leliana rolled her eyes muttering

“Zevran.” under her breath, she didn’t dare to think how much the assassin had rubbed off on the qunari. Evelyn rose her brows impressed, it seemed that she really did know Antivan after all. Cullen just looked confused, Katari stepped away from lady montilyet with a smile before stepping back beside Evelyn, 

“I vouch for Katari. She has not only warned me of danger in the past but has proven herself a strong fighter on the way here.” said the Herald, Katari nodded her thanks to Evelyn. Katari was surprised when Leliana spoke too,

“She has the trust of a dear friend of mine, so I vouch for her too.” Cullen attempted a glare in Leliana’s direction only to wither beneath one of her own, Evelyn turned to Katari with a smile,

“Welcome to the inquisition.” she said.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, all of the 'Antivan' is actually Spanish, since Antiva is loosely based on Spain it seemed appropriate, any 'Oreleasian will be French, I'm unsure what language I'll use for the Avvar, I'm thinking Scandinavian? tell me your thoughts! If you have any suggestions as to what language to use please let me know! I love reading your comments and like to respond to everyone at least once!


	16. a girl like you in a place like this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Ben hassrath and a Tal Vashoth

“Who’s that?” Trevelyan turned around to see who Bull was talking about, Katari was walking past the training grounds, observing the soldiers. A few strands of hair had come loose from her bun and were blowing uncontrollably in the crisp wind. Evelyn glanced at Bull

“That’s Katari. The seer we went looking for in Denerim.” His eyes were practically burning holes into the back of Katari’s skull, trailing down over her. He swallowed

“She’s… tiny.” he managed, never once taking his eyes from the small qunari. Evelyn raised a brow,

“To you perhaps” said the herald before adding “she’s shorter than Cassandra actually.” They were both staring at her now, which looked rather odd to everyone else even though no one said anything. 

“You didn’t say she was Tal Vashoth.” he said pointedly, Evelyn shrugged,

“Didn’t know.” was all she said.

“I’m guessing she’s a mage. You know seer and all.” said Bull, Evelyn nodded

“Yeah, though I haven’t seen her use magic once- she doesn’t even carry a staff.” she said, Bull was intrigued. 

“You said you were attacked on the road, surely-” Evelyn shook her head,

“Not even once. Used daggers mostly.” she said looking almost as confused as he was before her expression grew mischievous “We never told you where we found her did we?” she asked, 

“No.” said Bull slowly, eyeing Evelyn suspiciously,

“We actually found her in a fighting pit; beating the shit out of a few guys. Reigning champion apparently.” she said, Bull, grinned

“Really?” he asked before glancing back at Katari. When he had first caught a glimpse of her he had been almost certain that there was some kossith child walking around Haven, one could not imagine his surprise when he had gotten a better look at her and discovered that she was fully grown. He could not help but examine her curiously, as a Ben Hassrath wanted to know about her, as a man he wanted to know what was beneath that cloak of hers. Her eyes were quick and observant, in comparison to her movements which were slow and careful, it was easy to deduce that she was a thinker, so it had been interesting to learn that she was also a fighter.  Evelyn furrowed her brows puzzled, 

“Bull?” she asked, he turned to her

“Yeah?” he asked, she seemed to think before she asked

“Forgive me if this is a rude question but are qunari often… well white?” she adjusted her footing, Bull wasn’t offended, it was indeed unusual for a qunari to be anything other than silver, bronze or gold in colour- not unheard of but interesting nonetheless. He shook his head

“No, not really. I mean not all of us are grey but I can honestly say that I’ve seen a white Qunari before,” he said stroking his chin Idly, Evelyn still looked puzzled but nodded anyway. 

“I best be off, Cassandra will have my head If I miss another meeting.” she said “see ya Bull!” she said patting him on the shoulder before making her way back to the Chantry. Bull liked Evelyn well enough, Even though she was a mage she wasn’t too weird, unlike their resident fade expert  Evelyn kept things simple; she set people on fire and stuff but was satisfied, she didn’t poke her nose any further into magical nonsense, As a Qunari he appreciated that. 

Katari ate alone in the Tavern, arriving early in the evening so that she would avoid the mid evening rush. For once her hood was down, after meeting the advisors in the chantry she made a point of not wearing it- if she was going to stay here everyone was going to have to get used to her presence. That didn’t mean she was any more comfortable, however. She heard many people whispering about the strange small Oxwoman that the Herald had brought back with her from Denerim. Ignoring the eyes upon her she ate her stew, she was only halfway through her meal however when a large shadow was cast over her,

“This seat taken?” asked a deep voice, casting a glance upwards she was greeted with the sight of the large qunari she had seen by the stables. Swallowing her mouthful she shook her head,

“No, by all means,” she said gesturing to the seat across from her, the Man grinned offering his hand,

“The Iron Bull.” he said, Katari put down the piece of bread she was eating to shake his hand,

“Katari.” she said. The Iron Bull sat down, the seat creaked under his weight. He waved a hand at Flissa for a mug of ale. 

“So.” he asked, “What brings you to the inquisition?” he asked, clearly fishing for information. Katari rose a brow

“Depends, what brings the Ben Hassrath to the inquisition?” she asked evenly. Bull froze slightly before a wide grin spread across his face, ‘ _ sharp little thing isn’t she’  _ he thought to himself,

“What gave it away?” he asked both amused and concerned as it wasn’t something someone should be able to spot so easily. She finished a mouthful of her stew

“Horn balm.” she said taking a swing of ale, Bull rose a brow waiting for her to continue “The stuff is coveted amongst us Tal Vashoth- it’s hard to come by outside of Qunari lands and you are practically reeking of the stuff.” she said nonchalantly before taking another bite.  ‘ _ Horn balm? That’s it?’  _ he thought, Damn. not something a non-qunari would notice however so that was a good thing. 

“Smart.” he said honestly, to bad she was a mage- in another life she would have been a good Ben Hassrath. 

“Thank you.” she said, Bull’s gaze flicked up to her horns, Although small four small horns gently curled upwards becomingly- they suited her. She was aware of his gaze

“Something interesting about by horns?” she asked expecting some teasing but to her surprise he said

“Must be nice being able to put on a shirt without shredding it.” he said, she laughed

“Fair enough.” she managed. 

Flissa brought Bull his ale, Bull winked at her making the woman blush as almost as red as her hair before she dashed back to the bar, Katari chuckled

“Redheads huh?” she said, Bull nodded, a lecherous grin on his face

“Redheads.” he said, he took a mouthful of ale, sending the mug a disappointed glance before saying,

“Human alcohol gets boring real fast.” he said, Katari nodded taking a swig of her own

“Indeed it does- ran out of the good stuff?” she asked, Bull nodded grimly he had finished the last of his Qunari liquor months ago. His one eye grew wide with excitement as Katari's white hand disappeared into her cloak and returned with a silver flask, she poured a small amount into her ale before passing it over,

“I’ve got to make this last I’m afraid.” she said, Bull nodded pouring a little into his own. He took a mouthful, overjoyed to feel the warm buzz of alcohol for once. She took a drink of her own after Bull handed her the flask back. 

“Cheers.” he said, she clinked her mug against his

“Cheers.” 

A while into their drinking Bull asked,

“Does it bother you?”  Katari rose a brow,

“To what are you referring Iron Bull?” she asked, there was a lot of things that bothered her; Chantry members, her height, the bigots- the list went on. 

“Does that fact that I’m Ben Hassrath bother you?” he asked, not many Tal vashoth responded to qunari peacefully let alone drank with them. Katari shook her head,

“I have no issue with you personally,” she said. Bull nodded, it was a reasonable enough answer, there wasn’t a Tal Vashoth out there who didn’t hold some grudge towards the Qun, the had either left it or had seen one of their friends killed by them- so Katari was being pretty damn open. “Leliana’s not stupid, she wouldn’t let you remain in one piece if she thought you would do the inquisition harm, I’m guessing that they’re getting something from you as well as you getting something from them.” she said, Bull grinned

“Another redhead.” he said at the mention of Leliana, Katari chuckled.

  
  
  
  


__

  
  
  



	17. no rest for the wicked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cullen is suspicious of the qunari seer Evelyn has brought to the inquisition

Evelyn was convinced that the commander was close to wearing a hole in the floor,

“I can’t believe you allowed an unknown qunari apostate to join the inner circle.” he said as if saying it for the eleventh time would change everything, he paced the length of the war room again.

The four women looked on with expressions varying from amusement to exasperation, Evelyn sighed,

“ _ Katari,  _ has been here for three days so far and I have yet to see any bloodthirsty abominations running around! This is getting ridiculous.”  The commander turned to Evelyn, frustratedly looking for words to express himself, only to give up when Cassandra rose to evelyn’s defense,

“Commander” she said in a voice unusually soft for her, “Katari has made no disruptions, no complaints and has never acted as anything other than civil.” she said trying to ease the commander’s worries, an irritated look crossed Josephine’s face

“Which is more than I can say for many of your soldiers Commander.” said the antivan, “I have heard many of the things your men say to mistress Katari- to her face and behind her back, and not once has she retaliated.” 

 

Cullen flung up his hands in the air, this was impossible! How could none of them see the threat the woman posed to the inquisition? Cassandra’s brows furrowed,

“You did not react this way to Enchanter Vivienne or Solas Commander, how is Katari different?” the others nodded, Cullen sighed,

“Why- because- a seer really? Does that not sound like nonsense to you?” he said, looking between the women, 

“Her prediction of the events at Redcliffe were accurate.” said Leliana folding her arms, Zevran didn’t trust easily, if he trusted Katari that was good enough for her. 

“She could have been working for Alexius! That’s how she could have known.” he said, desperate to make them see sense, Leliana scoffed

“Then why warn us?” she said, Cullen ran his hands through his hair.

“To gain our trust!” he said, Leliana rose a brow

“ then she attempted to disappear and decided to end her career as a spy in favor of competing in a Denerim fighting pit?” she said, the Commander began pacing again, 

“Commander.” Said Cassandra, he turned to face her. “You are tired and should get some rest,” she said gently, Cullen deflated, rubbing his eye,

“I- perhaps you are right. Good night everyone.” he said before heading out of the door.

“You said that using your magic drains you drastically- for even the simplest spells?” asked Solas, Katari nodded. The two had been talking for a while, sat on the floor of his cabin next to the fire. The elf furrowed his brows, it didn’t make any sense; her aura, although diffused was strong, it might have felt abnormally strong for someone of this age had it behaved properly. He gazed into the ebbing flames in the hearth,

“Could you show me? Would you relight the fire?” he asked turning his gaze back to her, in the dim light of the fire her snow white skin had taken on a golden hue, she seemed to think for a moment before nodding and edging her way closer to the fire. Reaching out a chalky hand she closed her eyes and shakily exhaled.  A sharp, quick burst of flame shot out from her hand, no larger than a small bird, fluttering it coiled its way around the logs, slowly building once more. Solas had been watching her intently as aura shifted slightly, willing the magic inside of her to take form outside of her body, her focus was intense. Looking at Katari now however he was surprised to see sweat glistening on her forehead and her chest heaving with the effort- it should not have been so tiring.

“Katari are you all right?” he asked, she nodded, swallowing.

“I’m fine” she said opening her eyes “as I said it drains me, the elemental school especially. Others come much easier.” she said propping herself up on her hand. Solas’ brow quirked intrigued,

“Oh? Usually it is considered the easiest- or the simplest, it is probably a more apt description- it is among the first most mages learn, which ones come easier to you?” he asked, getting up to approach the small bookshelf in the corner on which he had placed his own books and tomes. He Idly ran his fingers across the spines.

Katari paused, mage or not, many did not take kindly to the less… common schools. She glanced at the elf

“You study the fade yes? You are familiar with lesser used areas of magic?” she asked, it would not bode well for her if the Solas- an inner circle member- disagreed with her particular area of  magic. Solas’ lip twitched ‘oh you have no idea’ he thought to himself, Curious he turned away from his books to gaze at the small qunari woman,

“I am more accepting than most- I am an apostate afterall.” he said, he had seen no cuts on her so far- she didn’t strike him as a blood mage- he would be lying if her question hadn’t peaked his interest. Katari didn’t bother reminding him that all mages were apostates now. She wiped her brow before taking a deep breath,

“Entropy.” she said, he quirked a brow “the disorient tree in particular,” she said, now that was curious, entropy was sometimes taught in the circles if a mage showed an aptitude for it but even then their perception of the school was twisted and paranoid. Solas nodded, it made sense that she would be hesitant to mention it, the ability to reach into someone's mind and tweak with their perceptions was unsettling to many humans and elves alike- generally many mistook it for a form of blood magic. 

Solas did not quite know what to make of the qunari woman, she was soft-spoken, calm and collected- it made her harder to read than most. She was also unusually polite to even the lowest of servants- at first, he thought that her formality was a result of learning common only recently, that she had not yet learned anything impolite to say. He had also thought that it was the reason she spoke so little too but after seeing her exchange quips with the iron bull next to the training yards the previous day, he realized that this was not the case. Not only did she seem genuinely polite but her quick grasp of the language hinted that she was very intelligent, that her silence was not due to a lack of vocabulary but because of the occupation of thought. If her ability to see the future was genuine also he wondered how much of a threat she posed to him and his plans. 

Katari had grown nervous at the elf’s silence,

“Entropy is a rather complex school of magic- I wonder why it comes to you easier than most.” he pondered aloud, not a trace of malice in his voice, Katari relaxed. Katari adjusted her cloak,

“I would show you something, but as you know it is near impossible to disorient someone who expects it,” she said, Solas turned to her with a contemplative look on his face,

“Indeed- not only that but you are beginning to look exhausted, perhaps tomorrow,” he said. Katari nodded and rose to her feet.

“Thank you for speaking with me Solas, I grateful for your assistance,” she said reaching out a hand, Solas reigned in a surprised expression- so rare it was for him to be treated an equal in this day and age, perhaps it was simply because she wasn’t human, he couldn’t tell. He shook her hand,

“It is no trouble- If you ever have any more questions about your magic feel free to ask,” he said with a small smile, she nodded in return before turning to the door and disappearing into the snowy world outside. 

The small smile he had given her was one of the first genuine smiles he had given in a long while, how refreshing it was to meet someone so humble- many would never sink so low as to ask for help, especially from an elven apostate. She was not ashamed of her weak magical abilities and she did not hesitate to ask for advice, the qunari had questions about her magic; she was not  afraid to ask questions about anything, so unlike the circle mages he had encountered. It was a shame he thought for such potential to be wasted in this twisted world, that she was but a hollow shell of what she could have been.

\---

The Commander couldn’t sleep. Not that it was a surprise, memories of a peaceful slumber were scarce.rolling over on his cot,  he tiredly wiping his eyes and reached for the mug of water on the desk nearby. In the dim candlelight the sallowness of his skin and the circles of his eyes were even more prominent, with a groan he sat up drinking from the mug and wiped the sweat from his brow. The dream was almost always the same- being tortured in the tower. How could he go back to sleep when the screams were stilling ringing in your ears, unable to decipher which of the echoes were own and which were of the friend who lay dying beside you.

His amber eye was hollow and glowing in the orange light of a candle as it lingered on a draw of his desk, to which all troubles solution lay waiting inside. It would be so easy he thought, to just reach and pull out the draw, to see the priceless blue within but he stopped himself. No, he shook his head and pulled himself from the cot.

Pulling a shirt over his head he opened the flap of his tent and glanced outside, everyone in Haven aside from himself it seemed was having a blissful sleep. Out he stepped into the frosty Ferelden air, his breath puffing out in small white clouds. He let his feet take him for a wander, past the small houses and the tavern, which for once was silent.  He greeted a guard on night watch as he passed him, not really think what they might think of the commander walking around in the middle of the night. 

He had somehow ended next to the frozen lake, sitting a the end of a small pier and gazing out thoughtlessly into the night sky. A branch snapped. The Commander reached for his sword, to his horror he had left it in his tent. Warily scanning the treeline he got to is feet.

“Can’t sleep?” asked a voice, Cullen looked around for its owner. Katari’s small form stepped from the trees. Cullen didn’t relax. The small white woman raised a brow before slowly making her way to to the pier and flopping down onto the edge as he had earlier. She strained her neck upwards to look at him, she chuckled and his distrustful expression,

“If it makes you feel better Commander, I can barely summon a flame.” she said rubbing her eyes.

It didn’t make him feel better. 

“What do you want?” he asked, in a voice a little harsher than he intended, Katari was unfazed.

“Lack of sleep makes me irritable too. I don’t want anything commander. I can’t sleep.” she said tugging her cloak tighter around herself. Cullen watched her for a moment before slowly sitting back down beside her. He didn’t say anything.

“They have set me up in the old potion master’s cabin,” she said gesturing behind her in the direction of it. “Probably don’t want me frightening the locals,” she said as an afterthought.

“I’m sure Bull does that just fine on his own.” he said dryly, Katari laughed,

“I’m sure he does.” she said with mirth. There was a pregnant pause between them for a while,

“Bad dreams?” she asked, Cullen didn’t say anything. “You don’t have to tell me. I know you don’t trust me” she said looking out over the lake “My dreams keep me awake too.” she said. They did indeed, she dreamed of the starving boy again, so vivid it was this time. She had dreamt of him for the third night in a row, something that did not happen often. The dream had been disturbing before the breach but after when she realized that he dreams were often true, she could help but wonder who this boy was, whether he was dead or dying. She watched him suffer over and over, unable to do anything. 

“Why did you join the inquisition?” asked the commander. He was looking at her now, both suspiciously and curiously, Katari thought for a moment. 

“Guilt.” she finally said. The Commander furrowed his brow,

“Guilt?” he asked confused, Katari nodded taking out her flask and taking a swig, thinking for a moment she offered him some, curious if he would actually try some, he waved her away. Screwing the cap back on she said,

“I mentioned that I only realized my dreams could be prophetic recently?” she said the Commander nodded. “A week or so before the conclave I had his nightmare. I dreamed a great green hole in the sky, a few days later, I’m riding with my friend, I look up at the sky and… there it is.” she swallowed, “We rode for haven to see what happened, only to learn that almost everyone I know is dead, with only a few survivors. Guilt ate away at me, I seen it all happen and didn’t do anything.” she said taking another swig from her flask. 

Cullen didn’t know what to say, It didn’t sound like something you would make up but he wasn’t sure. He couldn’t imagine what it was like if it was true, Had she truly dreamed of the breach before it happened? Was she a spy? Before he had been Certain, now not so much but he didn’t trust her completely either. 

“I’m sorry.” he said, the death of his own friends hurt him still after ten years, hers had disappeared from the world only a month ago. Katari turned to him with a sad smile,

“It’s alright.” she said. Cullen cleared his throat 

“I have heard that my soldiers give you trouble.” he said glancing at her horns, the qunari in kirkwall had ones similar. He wasn’t sure if all qunari woman looked like her, he didn’t think they would be so… small. Katari chuckled.

“No more than I give them. The lash out at me because they do not want to look afraid.” she said, “Do not worry Commander I am used to it.” Cullen swallowed uncomfortably,

“They will give you a formal apology.” he said, guilt clawing at his insides, This woman had done nothing wrong and yet he had hated her on sight- he was no better than his soldiers. 

“There is no need Commander.” she said

“But-” 

“I see no point in accepting an apology that is not genuine.” she said, “and they will resent me all the more for it.” Cullen turned to her, making eye contact.

“Then accept mine.” he said, Katari examined him for a moment,

“Apology accepted.” she said with a soft smile.

  
  
  



	18. rising to the challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They have an important day tomorrow, but Solas never backs down from a challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I haven't updated as regularly as I would like! I have been back at school after I finished my exams and it has been rather chaotic but fear not! the summer holidays are here and so is an update. I love reading your comments! it's been nice to talk to my readers and hearing what you think!

Katari walked alongside Evelyn through Haven

“Thank you for coming to speak with me.” said Evelyn, her back straight and her poster proper. The human may not have been the epitome of feminine with her long strides and short hair but her upbringing showed through the common grime. Katari nodded

“I can’t help but worry about the breach.” said Evelyn, her eyes flicked to the swirling green hole in the sky,

“The others think you have waited too long.” said Katari. The snow fluttered delicately around them, snowflakes crowning the herald’s head and gathering neatly on Katari’s hood. Evelyn sighed,

“I know the others wanted to attempt it immediately after we got the mages but…” the human trailed off, running her hand through her hair and disturbing the silvery crown that had rested there. “It’s just- It’s. I wanted the mages to be ready. We couldn’t make a mistake, I couldn’t.” the mage stumbled over her words. Katari moved so that she could look Evelyn in the eye,

“You carry the weight of the world and it’s gaze. It is alright to be nervous.” she said earnestly. Evelyn didn’t say anything, though whether she was weighing the qunari’s words in her head- Katari could not tell. “Although I appreciate it, I am unsure as to why you would confide in  _ me  _ of all people. You have a circle of friends and allies, ones you have known much longer than I.” Evelyn lifted her head,

“Perhaps that is why.” said the Herald, Katari tilted her head. “You know me little, perhaps I have less to lose If you disagree.” continued the Herald, the small woman nodded, taking it all in. It made sense. 

“You plan to close it in three days time?” she asked turning to face the breach. 

“Yes.” Said Evelyn, “I had been hoping that you may have seen something In your dreams.” Katari’s head turned slightly- though not enough to face her, you could see only a sliver of her face from behind the black of her hood, as thin and as pale as a sickle moon.

“I always see things. It is hard to tell which is past or present, what it is a dream and what is a vision,” she said softly thumbing the crow’s head of her dagger beneath her cloak- she missed Zevran, he had always listened. Evelyn came to her side,

“What did you dream last night?” she asked, Katari, sighed

“It’s been the same for four nights now.” she murmured, she cleared her throat. “A boy.” 

Evelyn rose a brow,

“A boy?” she asked, unsure how some boy could be relevant to closing the breach or anything at all for that matter. 

“A young mage I think. I keep seeing him slowly starve to death in a dungeon.” she said blankly, eyes glazing over as she gazed into the ever present hole in the sky. Such images hounded her in her sleep, the croak of a voice begging for water- for anything. The sad, forlorn gasp of a boy dying alone. She could scarce remember what a peaceful slumber was like. Out of all her dreams, this was the one she hated the most.

“What did he look like?” asked Evelyn, 

“Blond, I think. He was so pale…. Thin.” she said quietly, Evelyn got the feeling that it was not something that the qunari wanted to talk about.

“Anything else?” Katari thought for a moment

“An orlesian sister in the chantry- Jeanette. She is a spy.” she said. Evelyn resisted a chuckle, she found it funny that such a vision was an afterthought to the qunari and not a primary concern. 

 

On the night before they intended to close the breach, Solas had been reading late into the evening. Overcome with curiosity the Elf had gone to the library that evening and had swiped a copy of Master Tethras’s ‘Hard in Hightown.’ from the shelves -why a copy of his work was in the chantry, he had no idea.  He was interested to learn was considered a good book in this age; admittedly he expected it to be complete tripe. How loathe he was to admit that the Dwarf was indeed a skilled writer, in one night he had read the entire copy and was now headed back to the chantry for the second volume. As he approached the building however he paused at a peculiar sight. 

 

Katari was perched on the Chantry roof, lounging against the slate as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Solas tilted his head intrigued. The white woman raised a smoldering orange light to her lips, exhaling a puff of smoke in the dim glow. She did not notice him or If she did she didn’t acknowledge him. a finger lifted to delicately tap the ash from the end before raising it to her mouth again. Generally Solas found tobacco to be disgusting- a filthy habit indulged in by gluttonous men but the sweet and familiar scent drifting down to him was not tobacco. Still clutching the book in one hand he decided to make his presence known. 

“Good evening.” he said, the qunari’s head snapped in his direction.

“Good evening Solas.” she said raising the light to her lips again, as the almost floral scent floated down once more he was overwhelmed with curiosity,

“What are you smoking?” he asked,  Katari raised a thin white brow, her silver eyes evaluating him in the dark, they didn’t glow like an elf’s did but somehow in the dim light he could still see that she was examining him.

“Embrium,” she said , the word floating down softly to him like the puffs of smoke that fell from her lips. Solas was confused,

“Embrium?” he asked, it did not make sense. Embrium was a flower used to clear the lungs or soothe a fever, why on earth one would  _ smoke  _ it recreationally he could not fathom. 

“While useful for its medicinal properties, it has… other uses.” she worded carefully, Solas mirrored her, also raising a brow

“Oh and what might that be?” on the surface he may have appeared calm but inside the cogs of his mind were whirring away at the speed of light, he picked apart everything he knew about the little red flower, myths, stories, tomes and yet he could not think of a single reason why someone would use it for anything other than medicinal or aesthetic purposes.  _ Perhaps,  _ he wondered  _ Embrium may react differently to qunari physiology.  _ It was a logical thought, it was unlikely that in the vast lifetime of the ancient elves that they would miss something so significant. So he waited for her explanation eagerly,

“It keeps me awake.” she said, suddenly all thoughts of herbology escaped him, as Dreamer, sleep was one of the few things he looked forward to in this wreck of a world,that was why for a moment it was hard for him to imagine why one would want to remain awake. After however, her remembered that not everyone was a mage, not everyone was a dreamer and not everyone was like him.

 

Katari had been surprised to see anyone awake and about at this time of night. The elven man was a reserved, studious sort and unlike the others, she had yet to figure him out a little. Examining him her eyes flicked down to one of his hands, in which a book was grasped loosely.  _ Ah,  _ she thought  _ a late night reader,  _ Solas seemed the sort.

 

“Embrium has energizing properties?” he said with a surprised (and confused) expression. Katari shrugged

“Works for me.” she said.

 

Solas could not comprehend how such a significant property could be overlooked for millennia- it could possibly have been. Katari must just be imagining it, yes that was it.

 

“Try some if you don’t believe me.” she said, Solas wanted to scoff; there was no need, he  _ knew _ that embrium did no such thing. Another part of him  _ needed  _ to be sure, he needed to know that his kind had not overlooked something and he  _ wanted  _ to know out of pure curiosity. She was also challenging him- and he would never turn one down. A small part of him reminded him that if Embrium did keep you awake then he would miss out on a night in the fade and he needed all his strength for the closing of the breach tomorrow but he squashed that part down because he  _ knew  _ he was right and she was wrong. 

 

To Katari’s surprise he nodded, she raised a brow

“Are you coming up or am I coming down?” she asked, to surprise her even further the elf stepped forward, and threw the book he was holding up to her, she caught it easily and watched him analyze the brickwork before scaling the chantry wall with surprising ease.

 

He lifted himself onto the roof and sat down beside her. Watching him carefully Katari passed him the joint, book still in her hands. Solas glanced at it briefly before lifting it to his lips and inhaling.

Katari looked down at the book in her hands as he smoked, 

“Hard in Hightown?” she asked amused, knowing Varric would have a field day if he knew. 

“I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. That is all.” he said defensively Katari’s brow quirked,

“Which was why you were reading it late into the night?” she asked skeptically, Solas didn’t say anything he merely lifted the joint to his lips again. 

 

They analyzed the book for a short while before climbing down the wall and bidding each other a good night. To Solas’ displeasure, he couldn’t fall asleep that night.

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


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	19. Tediousness, Travelling and team names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari goes for a late night wander, the evening before they close the breach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry I took ages to update guys, the editing process kept getting delayed! here it is, the next installment of 'Small, for a qunari'

After Katari had bid Solas good night she decided to walk for a while. The moon shone blank and bare upon the small village of Haven, the subtlest trace of pink cresting the eastern horizon as the night drew to a close. 

 

The qunari’s meandering had led her to the outskirts of the Village, near one of Cullen's newly erected trebuchets, Katari had never seen one in person (or at least never seen one up close) so she circled the tall wooden contraption curiously. She wondered whether they would look so large had she been a Qunari of a regular size, she could not imagine what it looked like from the point of view of a dwarf.

 

She lingered in that area for a good while longer as the Embrium had begun to take effect. Nights like this were a blessing; her mind was free from the torments of the fade. With this blessing, however, came a downside- Boredom. She tried to do all sorts to keep herself entertained, bird calls, trailing patterns into the snow and even composed a witty limerick in her head. 

 

_ A fellow jumped off a high wall, _

_ And had a most terrible fall.  _

_ He went back to bed,  _

_ With a bump on his head,  _

_ That's why you don't jump off a wall. _

She thought it rather amusing. But these were of course only short-term solutions, once you were finished with them there was nothing to defend you from the monotony of an evening on one’s own. Defeated, Katari resorted to a more classic form of amusement- throwing rocks around.

 

It was about an hour later when even throwing rocks became fruitless, with a growl she hurled a large stone in frustration, it hit the trebuchet, bouncing from a wooden beam before clattering oddly against the ground nearby. 

 

Katari’s ear twitched. Instead of the dull thud she expected a Sharper noise echoed from the Spot where the rock had miraculously disappeared. Ears perked and eyes curious she began looking for the source of the strange sound.  She approached the place where the Rock had landed, pausing when the ground  _ creaked _ beneath her foot. She bounced a little on the balls of her feet, the ground creaked again.  _ Curious _ she thought. Crouching, she swept away the snow, slowly revealing the planks beneath the white sheet. A small hole had rotted through, clearly where the rock had disappeared to.  She reached for a pebble slowly lifting it above the hole and dropped it, ear pressed against the wood she counted the seconds before she heard a clatter. 

 

It didn’t sound too deep. She looked around, no one was in sight.  _ There is no harm in looking _ she thought to herself as she stood up and brushed the dirt from her trousers. A few minutes later with a rope she had  _ borrowed  _ from the stables, she pulled the planks aside. Securing the rope to a beam she dropped the other end into the hole before slowly descending down into the dark. 

 

Katari was pleasantly surprised to discover that the drop was not as deep as expected, it could not have been more eleven feet (a mere jump by most Qunari standards). Squinting her eyes in the dark she wished she had brought a torch but from what she could see, she appeared to be in an old mining shaft of some kind.

She explored the mine for a little longer before realizing dumbly that she had her tinderbox on her, striking it a small flame appeared, giving her some light. Whatever had been mined there must have been depleted as she could not see any gleaming veins of metal in the light of her match. She rather liked her cave-like dwellings. She shook her head as a childish idea slipped into her mind,  _ no, be serious _ she thought but for once she decided to let herself have some fun. 

She returned to the mine in the wee hours of the morning, her arms full of blankets and pillows she had nicked from the guest room of a visiting nobleman. It wasn’t long before she had set up a nice little den for herself, a small fire crackled away and the cushions had been heaped at the cave entrance to make for a softer landing. She lounged there for an hour or two, smoking, thinking and arranging her surroundings. 

_ I should return  _ she thought as a trace of light slipped between the wooden beams at the entrance, sighing she got to her feet. She looked around knowing that she would have to return all this later but since no one would notice until the next evening Katari decided to leave them for now. She heaved herself up the rope, sparing one last glance at her little hideaway before pulling herself up into the daylight.

\---

The walk up to the temple was somber for the most part, while the heavy weight of responsibility hung over the heads of many it was not enough to smother the bright optimism of some of the young mages.

“This is it! We’re actually doing this!” said one,

“It’ll be strange looking up and not seeing it.” said another, the older mages and soldiers looked on with bittersweet smiles; both cherishing and resenting the hopefulness they no longer had. 

Solas frowned, while he was confident that they would succeed in closing the breach, he was sure whether their innocence irritated them or made him pity the human youths. Breach or no breach, the magister remained a threat; that having been said, they didn’t know about Corypheus, so their blissful ignorance of the danger that faced them was due to his own actions. 

“You okay there Chuckles?” asked Varric, snapping Solas out of his thoughts. The Dwarf had noticed the faraway look in the elf’s eyes and was looking at him amused.

“I did not sleep last night.” said Solas irritably. He wanted to tell himself that it was because he was apprehensive the night before closing the breach- but he hadn’t been, nerves rarely affected him. Now that left two possible answers; Katari had been right about Embrium having energizing properties  _ or  _  Varric was an incredibly talented writer who wrote a book that kept him hooked for the entire night. He resented both of them.  

“So... what, you’re tired?” asked Varric, The irritation got to him.

“No Master Tethras!  That is my issue!” he snapped before marching ahead at a pace Varric’s short legs had no hope of matching. The Dwarf shook his head.

“Ah, he’s a weird one,” he said to himself as he watched the Elf go ahead -grumbling all the way. 

 

Katari huffed as the wind threatened to knock down her hood again, the mountain air was bracing and she could not recall a time when she had ever been up so igh. The world seemed so small and far away from where she stood, reminding her of how little of the world she had actually seen. She thought she had Travelled a lot with the Valo-kas and she had, but they had never strayed far out of Ferelden or the Free marches, her own Travels had taken her to Orlais. For a moment her mind fluttered off through the clouds, wondering and wandering off into the Anderfels, Rivain… Antiva. Thoughts of Antiva lingered for the longest, If they succeeded in this would she go to Antiva? The land of pirates, assassins and Merchant princes? Would she continue her adventures alongside her friend Zevran, would she Return to the Valo-Kas, the family that had taught her almost everything she knew of the world or would she go on alone again? She did not know.

 

“Keep up Tal Vashoth.” Came Bull’s Voice from up ahead, Katari Chuckled. 

“Just admiring the Scenery Qunari,” she replied, Cassandra had thrown herself between them in the past, willing to separate the two. At first she didn’t realise that they were merely messing with one another,  she almost lost it when Bull had called Katari a ‘Bas’ and she had called him a ‘patsy’ Only for Varric to chuckle and point it out to her. They had found many things to insult each other on, it had become a source of amusement for anyone traveling with them. 

 

Dorian sauntered ahead to catch up with the pair,

“Morning,” he said Cheerfully, Katari raised a brow

“You’re chipper.” said Katari, Dorian merely smiled,

“Rather exciting isn’t it?” he said glancing up at the breach, “Solas’ theory to close the breach is rather astute, in truth I’m surprised that he’s the one who came up with it.” he said, 

“Careful.” said Katari , catching  the mage’s attention “you’re beginning to sound like Vivienne.”  Dorian looked horrified at the notion but before he could respond Bull interrupted

“Not that I’m against winding Dorian up but you should really lower your voice before team serious hears you.” he said, Katari glanced at ‘team serious’ who walked ahead of them; consisting of Cassandra, Cullen, Vivienne, and Solas who were no doubt discussing plans.

 

“Rather offended they didn’t let me in on Team serious actually, my magical knowledge would have been most beneficial,” said Dorian wistfully, Bull chuckled

“Of course they wouldn’t have, wouldn’t let any of us know too much. We are a Qunari spy, a Tevinter magister and a Tal Vashoth apostate after all; we’re team shifty.” he said with a shit-eating grin, 

“Altus actually.” Corrected Dorian irritably. Katari glanced at Varric, Sera, and Evelyn who were walking nearby,

“What team are they then?” she asked with a soft smile, Bull stroked his chin in thought,

“Red team?” he supplied, flicking his eye over the red ensembles of the three, Dorian scoffed,

“Red team?” Bull frowned, 

“You think you can come up with something better, Vint?” he Challenged, before Dorian could accept, however ,Varric- who had overheard them- Called

“Hey! Everyone knows we’re the fun team!” he said, Sera looked confused

“Wha’?” she asked, Evelyn, looked interested,

“What are you talking about?”  Dorian looked exasperated,

“Team Nosy, more like it.” he said, Bull, chuckled

“Those three are always sticking their noses in other people’s business.” Varric had a wry grin on his face,

“Says the spy.” before anyone could respond, the ruin of the Temple of ashes rose over the brow of the hill, Sobriety settled over them all as the breach rested in the sky. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


 


	20. late to the party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the celebrations in haven are cut short by some uninvited guests.

The revelries started soon after the breach was closed, a great worry literally no longer hanging above their heads. There was dancing and drinking and every debauchery to be expected. At night in the glow of campfires everything appeared more appealing, the dancing the drink and most of all the company, more than a few disappeared into their houses with a lover -or two- in tow. However, no matter how inviting things must have looked from beside the fire, Katari preferred the view from afar.

 

“I’m surprised to not see you with the others.” came a voice from behind her, Recognising the placid timbre, Katari turned around to face Solas. Until now she had been watching the people of Haven rejoice in silence. She arched a brow, as she was not the most social person by any means. He stepped forward slowly, hands clasped behind his back.

“You get on well with the others and this is, after all, a momentous occasion,” he said, Katari’s expression was wry,

“I could say the same of you. And yet here we are,” said she, both of them watched the festivities side by side, Solas smirked.

“True enough.” he said, “Never been one for parties?” he asked, his still fixed forward. 

“Wouldn’t know?” she said, Solas’ ear twitched in curiosity. “This is my first one,” she said, her voice gave little away when she spoke. Solas was not keen to admit that the tight reign she had on her emotions unnerved him. 

“Do Tal-Vashoth not Celebrate such things?” he asked, it was not hard to imagine the brutish people taking part in some drunken debauchery,

“Around in the tavern is not quite the same as this,” she said. 

 

Though her voice gave little away, there were times you could follow her eyes and hazard a guess as to what she was thinking. Katari watched the crowd with a childlike fascination he noticed, eager but hesitant. Despite her aptitude for violence and her quick wit, there was a startling innocence about her.

 

_ What would she have thought of the ball and galas of Arlathan?  _ He wondered, would she go white at the view of thousands dancing within the golden halls? (if she could indeed go any whiter) it was a strange thing to imagine, of course, she would have stuck out in such a place, with her strange aura and Qunari heritage. Any quickling would have looked odd in  Arlathan, the imperfection of their mortality a sharp contrast to their surroundings, each object around them a result of decades if not centuries of refinement. But of course, she would be no more out of place there than he was here.

“I know that look,” said Katari, snapping him from his musings. Solas furrowed his brows, 

“Pardon?” he asked, 

“I’ve worn that expression too many times myself, I can recognize when someone’s feeling out of place.” she said, Solas didn’t say anything. She watched some serving girls from the singing maiden twirl around the fire laughing happily.  _ How did they do that?  _ She wondered,  _ How do people dance, express so much with no words?  _ She thought. Katari didn’t dance.  

“I suppose we are out of place, an elven fade specialist and a Tal-Vashoth seer.” he said absently, of course, he didn’t go on to say just  _ how  _ displaced she actually was. Katari Chuckled bitterly,

“Never claimed to be a seer.” she said. Solas furrowed his brows again,

“You have dreams that appear to be prophetic, does that not make you a seer?” asked Solas, Katari had a thoughtful look on her face,

“I have studied Rivaini seers a great deal. From what I understand, Seers get their Visions from spirits they have willingly allowed to possess them.” Solas nodded, that was the typical description of a seer. “Last I checked, I’m the only one living here,” she said tapping her temple with her finger.  Solas tilted his head and leaned on his staff,

“The fade it a complex place, a spirit can communicate with a person in their sleep, perhaps you do not need to be possessed to be offered such insights.” he said, It was unheard of but not impossible. Her situation had been fascinating ever since it had been brought to his attention, she had answered every question he had asked that first day on the road and he could not help but wonder how spirits were connected to her visions. It remained an enigma. To his surprise, a sly look crossed her face,

“Speaking of sleep.”  she began  _ where was she going with this?  _ He wondered. For a moment he was worried that she was going to proposition him -to his horror it was something much worse, “The embrium. Did you sleep?”  He fought the urge to groan with frustration, he took a deep breath, he was so tempted to lie.

“I was wrong.” he said, and how it pained him to admit it. Quite frankly, however, he’d rather tell Katari he was wrong than tell Tethras that he enjoyed his work  (his pride practically shuddered at the thought.) 

 

To his surprise she didn’t gloat as one might have expected, she merely nodded in satisfaction before turning to leave, She spared a glance back at the festivities, a flask appearing from under her cloak with a flourish,

“I was always more of a solitary drinker anyway.” she said, raising the flask in a small toast before turning away with a swig of liquor. Solas frowned as she wandered off back to her cabin, she remained an enigma. 

 

He had encountered few Tal-vashoth on his travels and even fewer Qunari. All of his observations had indicated the grey-skinned giants to be violent and crude, brutal in their treatment of mages and harsh when dealing out punishment. Despite all of this (if Bull and Katari where anything to go by) they appeared to be highly intelligent, which made the treatment of mages under the Qun seem even crueler- surely such an astute people could see the wrongness in the treatment of mages and be not so easily brainwashed? He could tolerate the fear of an ignorant man who knew no better than fear magic but the idea of a well-informed person doing the same? It made him see red. 

 

Katari was different, though he could not figure out why.  _ Perhaps  _ he thought  _ it is because she is a mage.  _ She was after all the first mage he had encountered of her race. He had also considered whether or not it was to do with her heritage; when they had found her in Denerim she had been known as the ‘Mongrel’ and she certainly looked like no other Qunari he had ever seen- even bull seemed intrigued about her appearance- and he could not help but wonder about her parentage. He knew the rare union between a human and an elf produced a human child while elves and dwarves could not produce children at all (as far as anyone knew) But he knew little about such things when it came to qunari. He hadn’t asked, for it seemed rude but that did not stop him from wondering whether she had an elven, dwarven or human parent. Her eyes and Horns where qunari traits but everything else felt… off; what caught his attention the most was her  _ ears.  _ His face grew a little red at the thought but he could not help but noticed how long they were- shorter than his but most certainly elven looking- they were delicate, pointed and wondrously expressive, they twitched at background noises and even perked when amused or interested, Bull’s ears although pointed didn’t move. Perhaps that is why she wore her hood so often- so she would give less away.

 

\---

 

Katari had wandered back to her cabin, pausing by the frozen lake as she always did, staring up in awe at the stars. For as long as she could remember- which wasn’t very long- she had been fascinated by them and had never known why. She remembered clearly the first time she stepped from her small tent, still bandaged and bleeding after being found. She had looked up at the sky amazed and confused, beautiful as the stars were they felt  _ wrong. _ When she had finally got a grasp of the language she had told Kaariss this, he had looked as confused as she did before suggesting that perhaps that perhaps she saw different constellations from whatever part of Thedas she was from, he told her that he had heard sailors talk about such things. 

 

She sighed, it seemed that she would never truly know who she was or where she was from. Her eyes fell from the sky to admire the mountains instead, freezing when out on the edge of the horizon appeared way too many figures for them to be the local band of minstrels coming to play at the party.  _ Shit. _

 

She ran to her cabin, slinging the bag she had never unpacked over her shoulder before bolting back to Haven at a speed she didn’t know she possessed. Once she got through the gates she didn’t stop to talk, instead, she ran straight past everyone to the chantry. On the way she ran past Evelyn and Cassandra,

“Wh- Katari?” managed Cassandra.

 

Katari slammed the chantry door open, causing a few clerics to squeal in surprise. She ran to the ladder which led to the belfry.

 

Everyone heard the bell of the Chantry, seconds later they noticed the army descending the mountains. Cullen stormed through the village concern and irritation dominating his features,  _ Could anything stay fixed for five minutes?  _ He thought as he urged the villagers away from the gates

“Forces approaching! To Arms!”, Cassandra and Evelyn dashed to his side.

 

Katari stopped ringing the bell as she was fairly certain she had got everyone’s attention. She wiped a bead of sweat from her,  _ Note to self  _ she thought,  _ give bell ringers more appreciation _ . She slid down the ladder back down into the main part of the chantry. Katari checked the buckles of her leather breastplate before throwing down her pack in a corner and heading for the doors. Before a side door slammed open, Bull stumbled out while adjusting his belt, one boot undone and a disheveled chantry sister with red hair behind him. Katari chuckled despite the situation,

“So celebratory drinks are on hold?” he said following her through the doors, battleaxe in hand.

“Unfortunately.” replied Katari.

 

Bull, Katari and the others made it to the gates. Cassandra approached the Commander,

“Cullen?” His expression was grim,

“Only one WatchGuard was reporting. it’s a massive force, the bulk of it over the mountain.”  he said, 

“Under what banner?” urged Josephine, Cullen’s expression grew grimmer

“None,” he said. Varric cursed in the background, 

“None?” said Josephine, before anyone could say anything else, however, there was some loud bangs coming from, the gate. To everyone's surprise, however, a voice of a young man came from the other side,

“I can’t come in unless you open!” he pleaded, 

“Let him in.” said Katari quietly, her eyes were wide and her face still. “I know him.” she said. 

  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	21. The boy of your dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corephyeus shows his ugly mug at last and people are sickeningly heroic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *in stocks* yeah, yeah, I'm a bad writer who took ages to update. Ta da.

She knew that voice. It was a voice that had haunted her dreams, a voice that begged for water, that grew hoarse from crying before it finally fell silent. She said it again, louder now

“Let him in! I know him!” everyone was staring at her. Cullen’s brows furrowed

“You know him?” he asked puzzled, Katari’s eyes met his

“I do.” she breathed “From my dreams.”

This caught Solas' attention for he could sense strong magic beyond the wall, an old magic that despite Its age felt soft and subtle.  _ How  _ he wondered  _ might this being be connected to all this?  _ Katari turned her gaze to Evelyn, The herald paused for a moment before nodding. Though Evelyn was not their leader, you would have a hard time convincing a stranger otherwise; the guards did not hesitate to listen and obey her.

“Open the gate,” she said. 

 

The gates swung open to reveal a hulking giant of a man surrounded by a pool of corpses. It was hard to imagine the young voice they had heard earlier belonging to him. Before anyone could do or say anything, however, the man collapsed with a gurgle, a boy in a large brimmed hat stood where he had fallen, blood dripping from the small dagger he had gripped in his long, thin fingers. 

 

“I’m Cole.” said the boy “I came to warn you, to help.” he stepped towards Evelyn,  his hand softly extended towards her, “People are coming to hurt you… you probably already knew that.” There was a fluidness to his speech, giving the impression that none of it was rehearsed, rather that he spoke as he thought. 

“Who are you? What is this?” asked Evelyn abruptly, it was easy for one’s patience to thin as an army approached. 

Katari watched the encounter in silence, slowly approaching them as if any quick movement would make it all disappear, She recognized him as quickly as she had recognized his voice, Cole the boy who starved.

“The Templars come to kill you,” said Cole, stepping back nervously when Cullen surged towards him,

“Templars?” before the Commander could reach him however Katari had placed herself in front of the boy, her eyes calmly meeting Cullen’s in a cold, challenging stare. Momentarily unnerved he stepped back before turning around to face Evelyn. “Is this the order's response to our talks with the mages, attacking blindly?” he asked,  Cole stepped around Katari, snapping out of the confused and fascinated gaze that had been fixed on her. 

“The red templars went to the elder one,” he said catching everyone's attention “You know him, he knows you, you took his mages” he moved like the narrator of a play, turning and extending a hand to point at a nearby mountain ledge. “There.”

Atop the ledge stood a tall, deformed figure with skin and a face stretched taut over a red crystalline form with sharp angles of metal protruding from his flesh. It was almost as if he had grown too fast for his body to keep up with, he was an unsettling sight indeed. 

“He’s very angry that you took his mages,” said Cole, Katari watched the Elder one with a combination of fear and fascination- he was quite unlike anything she had ever seen and a strange sense of recognition resonated through her. Evelyn turned to the commander

“Cullen, give me a plan, anything,” she said, only a small touch of panic slipping into her voice.

“Haven is no fortress.” said Cullen “if we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle.” he glanced towards the Trebuchet, “get out there and hit that force with everything you can.” He turned away from them and towards his men

“Mages! You have the sanction to engage them that is Samson, he will not make it easy!” 

While Cullen gave his speech, Solas approached Evelyn, Katari, and Cole. Almost subconsciously drawn towards the boy’s aura. He reached them just in time to hear what the boy was saying. Cole’s eyes were wide open, examining Katari who looked back with a sad, almost confused expression,

“You  _ know  _ me. I don’t know you, but you know me.” he rambled, pausing he lightly poked her in the chest as if checking she was real, 

“I do.” whispered Katari, “I saw you.” 

“You are like me, you  _ know _ things. Things others don’t know- but you're also not like me, not at all,” he said. Solas watched the strange encounter, watched as Katari the fierce qunari pit fighter gazed upon the boy with a mournful expression,  _ what  _ he wondered  _ could possibly be so despairing? What had she seen in her dreams?  _  She had put herself between the boy in the commander without hesitation, fixing the man with a gaze so ruthless that it gave even Solas pause. Yet another mystery had fallen upon his lap to unravel.

\---

Evelyn slammed the gate behind them, she panted heavily

“What. the. Fuck.” Things had been going well until that  _ thing _ had somehow managed to pull a dragon out of his ass. Katari wiped a sweat from her brow

“My sentiments exactly,” she muttered, earning a chuckle from Varric’s direction. 

“We need to get everyone into the chanty, it’s the only thing that might hold against that- that beast,” said Cullen marching up the steps, he looked so  _ done  _ with everything. He threw his hands into the air, “at this point just make them work for it” he grumbled. Katari was half tempted to suggest that they could choke the dragon with the emotional baggage he seemed to carry but that seemed a little too mean.

Evelyn looked around at everyone, 

“Everyone split up, help as many people as you can! Meet back at the chantry and for fuck’s sake don’t die.” they all nodded, and ran off in their own direction.

 

Katari ran off to the stables with Bull who went to help Harrit get back into the blacksmithy- the stubborn old bastard refusing to leave without his hammer. Katari released the horses from the stables,

“Go! Go! “ She whispered to them, they need no more encouragement as they dispersed off into the trees, galloping at full speed. All except one. 

“Titan! damn it! go!  Follow the others!” she said tugging at his mane, he refused to budge. Katari looked around, they were surrounded by fire and flames, she angrily wiped a tear from her eyes, she had to go. “Damn you,” she whispers angrily as she spun on her heel and headed back for Haven. 

She stormed through gates,

“Hey Vashoth!” yelled Bull, Katari paused. “Is this one supposed to be following you?” She turned around to find Titan’s eyes staring down at her. Exasperated Katari threw her arms in the air, she pointed at him

“I don’t appreciate you toying with my emotions” she berated. Titan snorted. Sighing Katari stepped onto a nearby fence, swinging herself atop him.

She rode through Haven, Trampling as many Templars beneath Titan’s thundering hooves as possible. They left a trail of bloody hoof prints behind. There were more as they approached the Singing Maiden, 

“Ya!” yelled Katari, Urging Titan forward with a squeeze of her thighs. The deformed Templars scattered as the Huge horse reared up on his hind legs, standing easily over twelve feet tall. It was a miracle Katari didn’t fall off, with no saddle or reins. Titans full weight reigned down on the shoulders of the tallest templar, crushing him and his plate armor with a dull clang and a squelch. Another aimed a swing at one of his rear legs only to receive a kick to the skull. Katari bent down and finished the last one by bending down to stab a dagger into his eye. Titan was not a horse bred for speed but boy was he born for battle!

Solas, Varric, Evelyn, and Cassandra had been helping Threnn fight off Templars when They were all startled by Katari charging past on the beast of a horse she owned,  trampling through the swarms or Templars like a knife through butter. Varric chuckled mid aim,

“Typical” Solas glanced at her retreating form, a slight smile tugging at his lips when she summoned a small flame in the palm of her hand and rammed it into a Templars face, even weak magic it seemed had use when used creatively.

Katari dismounted Titan when she heard Flissa calling for help from within the tavern.  Katari found her way through the burning debris until she found Flissa on the ground. A beam had fallen upon her leg. She was coughing and crying, Katari kneeled down,

“ah shit. Shh, it’s okay. I’m going to help” she said Calmly, she examined the beam, it was far to heaving for most humans to lift, she wedged her hands under it, she took a deep breath,

“Okay Flissa, on the count of three I’m going to lift the beam, I’m going to need you to move your leg from under it, can you do that?” she asked, Flissa nodded. Katari smiled, “Okay. One. Two. Three! She wrenched the beam from the ground, heaving. Flissa pulled her leg out with a pained cry.  It was then Blackwall burst in, also having heard her cries from help, a slightly awed expression crossed his face as he saw the Tiny qunari woman lifting a beam thicker than her hips were wide. Katari glanced at Blackwall, clenching her teeth

“Blackwall can you Carry Flissa to the Chantry? Her Legs broken. Blackwall snapped out of his reverie and nodded. 

“Aye,” he said Scooping up Flissa from the ground, With a groan, she threw the beam back onto the ground. 

“Take Titan. Can fight and Carry at once now can we?” She said with a wince, Blackwall nodded again and clambered out of the Tavern with Flissa in his arms.

Katari fought her way back to the Chantry, Swiping up a grey cat from the ground who had been meowing and hissing amid the fighting, it yowled as Katari stuffed the poor creature into her pack. Titan had cleared the way for the most part, she followed the trail of trampled Corpses back To the Chantry.

When Blackwall burst through the Chantry doors, injured maiden in his lap upon a might grey stallion, Varric almost laughed- it was an image from a storybook- but he didn’t because earlier his steed had a different rider.

“Where’s Katari?” He asked before anyone could answer however Katari Strolled leisurely in through the doors, she patted Titan before attempting to light the joint that sat in between her lips.  _ Where did I leave my tinderbox?  _ She thought patting her sides. She looked up, everyone was staring at her.

“Sorry I’m late?” she asked confused. 

Evelyn shook her head turning her attention back to Cullen.

“Herald! Our position is not good. That dragon stole back anytime you might have earned us.”  Cole spoke from his spot next to Chancellor Roderick. 

“I’ve seen an Archdemon. I was in the fade but it looked like that,” he said. Solas’ gaze snapped to the boy, his mind working away until it clicked. He knew what he was.  Cullen snapped angrily at Cole

“I don’t Care what it looks like! it cut a path for that army, They’ll kill everyone in haven!”, Cole was unfazed,

“The Elder one doesn’t care about the village, He cares about the Herald,” he said, Silence fell over the Chantry, everyone was thinking along the same lines, and nobody liked it one bit. 

Evelyn squared her shoulders, 

“If it will save these people. He can have me” Varric mumbled something under his breath about heroes.

“It won’t,” said Cole.

Katari was still looking for her tinderbox.  _ Where have I put it?  _ Solas without thinking lit a flame atop his pinkie and reached out, 

“Thanks,” said Katari lighting her joint. 

“Your Welcome,” said Solas absently as he watched the scene in front of him unfold.

“Herald. There are no tactics to make this survivable.” Katari held out her Flask to Bull her joint still in her mouth, He gratefully accepted it, raising an eyebrow in Varric’s direction, offering him one as well. Varric knew that stuff would probably kill him, he shrugged taking it anyway.  _ Fuck it _ .

“The only thing that slowed them was the avalanche, we could turn the remaining Trebuchets, cause one last slide,” he said, Evelyn shook her head

“We are overrun, we’d bury haven,” she said, 

“We are dying, we can choose how, many don’t get that choice” Dorian swiped the flask from Varric, also taking a mouthful. Nearly coughing his lungs out before looking at the flask approvingly and taking another mouthful.

“Yes that” muttered Cole at the side, “Chancellor Roderick can help,” he said Catching everyone’s attention “he wants to say it before he dies.”  

“There is a path” wheezed Roderick “you wouldn’t know it unless you took the pilgrimage as I have,” he said Evelyn approached him as he stood. “She must have Shown me, Andraste must have shown me so I could te-tell you,”

“What about it Cullen?” asked Evelyn “Will it work?” Cullen nodded

“Possibly. If he shows is the path.”  he said “But what of your escape?” her silence gave him her answer “Perhaps you 

will surprise, find a way.” he said softly before Turning back to the Soldiers

“Inquisition, follow Chancellor Roderick! Move!” 

 

Katari lifted two wounded soldiers onto the back of Titan with Flissa leading Titan after Roderick and Cole, She turned around to Follow Evelyn but the Herald stopped her

“Go! She said Help the others.” Katari frowned before nodding and Turning Back around. Evelyn Grinned, turning to face the doors

“Let’s go fuck shit up.”

  
  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked it! if you don't know how large draft horses are look it up, they're pretty awsome. good old Titan. As always feel free to offer prompts, suggestions, possible improvements or anything else you'd like to see in the story!


	22. a soft landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The people of Haven set up camp in the mountains and Evelyn is surprised by a suspiciously soft landing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ta da! here's yet another thrilling installment of small, for a qunari. I'm hoping to include parts of the jaws of Hakkon DLC, thoughts? opinions? let me know!

Evelyn wheezed out a throaty gasp, coughing violently as the came to. Her eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dark yet, but wherever she was it was dark, cold and… soft?  
“What the fuck?” she muttered, rolling onto her side she squinted at the ground trying to see whatever it was that she had landed on. As things got clearer Evelyn squinted with recognition at the pile of burgundy and mauve cushions that had once sat in one of haven’s guest houses, why on earth they had found themselves down a dusty pit she could not fathom. He ribs ached and her arms screeched in protest as she heaved herself from the ground.

She stood in the entrance to a dark cave, an old mine shaft perhaps- The frostbacks were riddled with them- shivering in the tepid air. She stumbled forward, a dull clatter came from the ground, looking down she almost cried with relief to see that her staff had tumbled down into the earth with her- she didn’t though, badass battle mage Trevelyan did not cry. As she bent down to pick it up, the pauldrons of her armor creaked and for the first time in her life Evelyn wished that she wore the soft, cozy robes that all other mages wore, that having been said she probably would never have survived the fall were it not for the red metal plating she wore.

A glint in the darkness caught her eye, using her staff as a walking cane- a very sharp pointy walking cane- she made her way towards it. During her fumbling she had been amazed to find a burnt out fire and a pile of dry wood can this get any fucking weirder? She thought as she reached down to find the shiny object, when her hand returned with the object in its grasp she laughed, for between her scabbed fingers sat Katari’s tinderbox.

\---  
The inquisition had set up camp high into the frostbacks, Haven and the Herald seemed a long behind them, needless to say, the atmosphere was dark and somber- Despite all of this Cullen and the inner circle kept looking.

“Just a bit longer,” said Cullen against the wind, Vivienne sighed.  
“Perhaps it is time we stopped Cullen, we shouldn’t give people false hope.” said the Enchanter, Bull hummed in agreement.  
“You can go back if you want.” said the Commander “I will keep looking.” The painful silence was broken by Katari  
“I’ll come too,” she said, Commander, sent her a look of thanks,  
“I will as well,” said Cassandra, Blackwall and Varric also agreed to continue looking.

It was a few hours later when Evelyn’s form stumbled over the brow of the hill,  
“It’s her!” Shouted Cullen as the group surged forward. She was close to delirious from exhaustion, unable to spare little more than a relieved glance in their direction before falling unconscious.  
“Herald!” exclaimed Cassandra, Katari didn’t hesitate to take off her cloak Wrapping it around Evelyn and lifting her limp form into her now bare arms. Cullen protested at first before Katari shushed him, explaining that qunari didn’t feel the cold in the same way as humans did. Blackwall picked up Evelyn’s staff and followed the group back to camp.

Katari was with Chancellor Roderick when the singing began. Cole was beside her  
“He is dying,” he said, Katari nodded she reached into her pouch and took out a few leaves of royal elfroot, it was a rare find but she didn’t really care when she placed them in a nearby burner- he was too weak to chew it- She put her hand on the chancellors face.  
“Breathe.” she said as the smoke started to fill the tent “it will ease the pain” The old man had been bitter towards Katari but for some reason, she had always felt pity towards him. His expression grew frantic as he felt death drawing near, his hand fumbling. Katari reached for it, grasping it between her tightly, she smiled at him.  
“Cold. getting colder, I am afraid.” said Cole absently, “such a nice girl, don’t know why I didn’t see it before. So very kind… white as snow.” Chancellor Roderick smiled softly at Katari, surrounded by the music of his maker, the light left his eyes.

Solas watched the singing humans curiously, it was a chantry song he supposed but even he could not deny that the lyrics were beautiful as the notes soared into the sky. It was nothing compared to the music of his time but the bittersweet melody still struck a chord within him no matter how quaint. The Herald had the ear of the inquisition and soon the world, whether she would make it or break it, however, had yet to be determined.

Through the crowd, he watched Katari and Cole, ever since they had left haven the two seemed joint at the hip, wherever Cole would go Katari would follow and vice versa. He had seen Katari comfort the Chancellor in his last moments, he had been startled by her tenderness towards a man who had hated her, slandered her name and had spat on the ground where she walked and yet there she was. Solas had grown tired of humankind's ignorance towards outsiders. how was it that she was so forgiving of those who were the bane of her kind’s existence?

Solas had approached her after he had finished talking with the Herald. For once Cole was not by her side.  
“Good evening Katari,” he said, Katari nodded in his direction and responded as civil as ever,  
“Good evening Solas.” His eyes strayed to the burner that hung from the tent pole, Chancellor Roderick’s body had been burned. He recognized the leaves inside,  
“Royal elfroot?” he said amazed, it was an extremely potent and rare herb, coveted and expensive, and she had used it to ease the passing of a dying man. Katari had been cleaning her hands at a wash basin.  
“Yes. you can have any remaining leaves if you like,” she said. Solas was shocked,  
“Truly?” Katari nodded. He gently parted the ash, taking a few unblemished leaves and pocketing them. He didn’t know why she said he could have them but he wasn’t complaining. He turned to face her, it was odd seeing her without her iconic cloak, the brown leather vest she wore exposed her arms and the delicate silvery scars that decorated them; she was so young and yet her collection rivaled many of the warriors of his age. Katari had followed his gaze  
“Valuable lessons, every single one. Good fighters have few, great fighters have many.” she said with a smile, “I have many yet to earn.” Katari’s humility was yet another thing that confused him, though he didn’t mention it.“You were with the chancellor when he passed.” said Solas, Katari finished drying her hands.  
“I was.” Solas’ brows furrowed  
“Why?” he asked, Katari frowned. She knew what he meant, Roderick had never been kind to her or the inquisition but when she saw him dying there she couldn't leave him. She thought about it for a moment before meeting Solas’ eye, sure in her answer.  
“No one deserves to die alone.” she didn’t see him falter.


	23. cold feet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the inquisition travels up the frostbacks

“Have we much further to go?” whined Dorian as they hiked through the knee-deep snow “We Tevinters don’t take too kindly to the cold,” he said with his arms Crossed over his chest, Katari and Bull merely smiled in his direction impishly, Bull shirtless and Katari with her arms exposed. “Haha. Very funny.”  He said turning to face them. Bull chuckled

“Stop whining Vint, Krem’s one too and he’s doing just fine.” Krem who was walking ahead of them turned while walking, taking his jacket off and grinning. Dorian flung his hands into the air with exasperation, shaking his head with a defeated sigh. 

 

Varric who was also ahead of them slowed his pace so he walked alongside ‘team shifty’ throwing a curious glance in Dorian’s direction,

“Can’t you use magic or something to warm yourself up?” he asked, a dirty laugh came from Bull

“I know of  _ several  _ ways to warm yourself up.” his said wiggling his eyebrows, Dorian gasped disgustedly,

“You are absolutely revolting,” he muttered, Bull laughed again. 

 

“There  _ is _ a spell for keeping you warm, actually.” said solas from behind them, Dorian raised a brow in disbelief,

“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” he said, Solas smirked a little

“There are  _ many _ things you magisters and circle mages have never heard of.” he quipped, Dorian rolled his eyes,

“Altus.” he corrected, “Well go on. What is this miracle warming spell of yours?” he asked, trying to hide the fact that he was shivering, Solas raised a brow

“Why should I tell you?” He asked with a sly grin. “Perhaps if you get used to it, it won’t bother you as much,” he said in a voice that might have passed for innocent were it not for his mischievous expression, Bull groaned

“Come on Solas just teach the Vint so he stops whining,” he said earning an accusing glance from Dorian. Solas was reluctant to share any of his secrets with anyone but for some unknown reason, he wanted to show off, show his superiority over the Tevinter mage. Solas nodded sagely

“Very well,” he said. Solas noticed the curious look Katari was giving him after he mentioned the spell- he wondered if she could cast it herself. “I’ll demonstrate,” he said walking ahead so that he stood beside Katari. The walking had stopped, everyone taking a small break. 

“Katari,” he began, Dorian interrupted 

“Why are you teaching Katari? She doesn’t even feel the cold!” he said stomping his foot like a petulant child, Solas sighed

“I’m curious to know if Katari can cast it with the… irregularities of her magic. There is nothing to stop you from listening.” he said

“Vishante Kaffas!” muttered Dorian with his arms crossed. 

Solas looked Katari over as he stood across from her, she was watching him with a curious expression, so childlike it almost gave him pause. “During the fighting at Haven I saw to summon a small flame in the palm of your hand,” he said, Katari Nodded growing a little skeptical due to her lack of proficiency in the elemental school. Solas noticed, 

“It is not a part of the element school. Remember how you focused your magic, so the flame manifested?” Katari nodded, “Instead of focusing all of that energy into the palm of your hand, try and disperse it throughout your body.” he said.

Dorian was concentrating at the side, relaxing when he felt the heat rush over him, groaning in a way that was practically erotic,

“ _ Maker _ , that feels glorious!” Dorian didn’t notices bull’s eye on him or how he swallowed slightly. 

Katari tried to do as solas had said, she closed her eyes in concentration willing the magic inside of her to spread outwards but no matter how hard she tried, it didn’t work. It fizzled and sparked but she couldn’t create a steady flow of energy. She opened her eyes and shook her head.

Solas frowned, making magic manifest outside of your body is what most beginner mages had trouble with, internal magic, however, should be instinctual, as natural as breathing. Her magic made no sense, it felt so odd; it wasn’t weak, it wasn’t out of control, if anything it reminded him of when mage children developed magic, it was almost if it had stopped developing halfway through. Yes, that’s what it felt like, it felt unfinished. 

“Very odd indeed.” he said, he remembered how she had admitted to having efficiency in entropy school, “Would you show me an entropy spell?” he asked curiously, Katari nodded. 

“I can do that.” she looked around, her eyes falling on Dorian who had stopped paying attention the moment he was no longer cold. A mischievous expression crossed her face, Solas watched her curiously as she focused her gaze on Dorian, with the intense focus he felt her send her magic towards him, like a raindrop traveling down a spider’s thread to the other mage.

Dorian swayed on his feet, feeling unusually tired- he thought it was the warmth that was making him feel drowsy- he yawned before promptly falling asleep and falling to the ground. Katari smiled mirthfully at the snoring Tevinter. Bull, who had to watch the whole thing shot her an amused glance

“Why didn’t you do that earlier?” he asked jokingly. He was trying to cover up that the spell had deeply unnerved him, he didn’t like the idea of someone messing around in his head. 

  
  


It was about an hour later after Dorian had woken up and they were on the move again when Varric Started looking at Katari oddly, He kept sparing glances at her as she walked beside Solas.

“Katari?” said Varric, she turned her head to look at him. “Is it just me or is your pack moving?” Everyone looked at him oddly except for Katari whose eyes widened in realization, hurriedly

removing her pack so she could open it. The others looked on curiously, Varric laughed in surprise when Katari reached into her pack and pulled a fluffy grey cat out of it. Bull looked very confused,

“Uh, Vashoth? Why do you have a cat in your bag?” the others nodding in agreement. Katari was holding the cat out in front of her with two hands, it mewled sleepily but otherwise seemed unaffected, 

“I can’t believe that I forgot she was in there.” Katari muttered to herself, snapping out of the brief reverie she explained: “I swept up the cat from the ground during the attack on haven.” Varric smiled fondly at her, It reminded him of Anders- just as most memories do the sweetness turned bitter .after Meredith seized control Anders was a different man.

“What are you going to do with it?” asked Dorian, Katari thought for a moment  _ people who would like a cat…  _ She had an idea,

“I’m going to give her to Josephine,” she said. Josephine got lonely when working but didn’t like getting distracted, a cat seemed perfect. Varric rose a brow

“Josephine?” he asked surprised, he wasn’t aware that the two talked often. Katari gave a half smile,

“She could use the company.” she said “I’ll be back in a moment.” before walking ahead of them, she passed Sera on the way, who had everything.

“Look at you! Trying to find a way under Josie’s skirt,” she said, Katari laughed and continued walking.  Sera liked that Katari didn’t take herself too seriously.

“Buena tarde señora Montilyet,” said Katari as she approached Josephine, Josephine turned to her with a smile, 

“Good afternoon to you as well.” she greeted, 

“I have a uh- what’s the word again?” she muttered, “ah yes! Obseqiuo -Tengo un Regalo para ti.” Josephine smiled at the effort she was making to speak in her own language- it was something she missed hearing. 

“You have a present for me?” she asked surprised. Katari grinned, revealing the cat from behind her back, Josephine gasped in surprise and delight. Katari held the cat out to her,   
“My lady.” Josephine giggled as she picked it up, Out of the corner of her eye she caught Evelyn giving Lady montilyet an appreciative once-over before quickly averting her eyes, Katari grinned roguishly, “the Herald thought you could use the company.” she said, Josephine looked up at her in surprise,

“Lady Trevelyan?” she asked breathlessly Katari smiled and walked away.

Katari walked past Evelyn, the herald glaring at her having overheard what she had said,

“Are you insane, Leliana would have my guts for garters if she knew!” hissed the Herald, Katari smiled,

“You’ll thank me one day.” 

  
  
  



	24. jack of all trades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Inquisition reaches Skyhold and Katari is suspiciously good at fixing things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> three chapters in a week? I'm on a roll , guys! I hope you're enjoying how the story is progressing, please let me know your thoughts and opinions if you have any!

Solas could not help the feeling of yearning that came over him as they reached the last mountaintop, He was coming home. The earth had changed as had the sky, spirits no longer roamed the hillsides and Halls as they had before.  Kings, queens, dictators chieftains, messiahs had come and gone and yet Skyhold remained- seeming to possess the immortality of those who had built it all those years ago. 

 

He envied Evelyn, that out of all of them she be the first to see it as the clouds parted around it in the crispy, sharp air. They didn’t know the sight that awaited them, He envied the experience of seeing it for the first for the very first time.  

 

Evelyn led them, her advisors close behind, a few paces behind them was Katari and Cole. Cole was asking Katari a question, she explained her answer slowly with animated gestures, Once again they were by one another’s side, Solas smiled internally at the sight. He took a deep breath, it was only a few steps away.

 

Evelyn’s lips parted as she was greeted by the sight of magnificent towered fortress nestled in the mountainside, Ragged banners flapped gently in the wind- close to disintegrating with age- and yet despite the holes in the roof and the cracks in the stone it stood strong against the elements. Solas stood beside her, leaning on his staff. 

“Welcome to Skyhold,” he said as Evelyn walked forward- Awestruck.

 

***

The weeks that followed Evelyn being named inquisitor were busy as Skyhold was slowly rebuilt. The rebuilding of Skyhold revealed an array of surprising skills from the inner circle too, Blackwall -to a few people surprise- was a skilled carpenter and joiner, The warden had merely shrugged and said “Not all of us came from noble origins.”  Iron Bull had not only been handy for his muscle but also for his brain “That beam isn’t secure” he’d say “It’s been placed at the wrong angle.” He was also a good mediator for when workers got into a scuffle. The most surprising person, however, was Katari.

 

When she was found hammering away in the forge making horseshoes and nails, she would say “I spent a few weeks working as a farrier.” before resuming her hammering. When she was found straddling the stable roof with a nail hanging between her teeth, she’d smile and call 

“I worked as a thatcher once!” catching the hammer that Blackwall threw up to her from below. Varric near lost it when she came back with hunters one evening, the carcass of deer over her shoulders and she cheekily said: “I spent a month as a gamekeeper.”

 

Varric had dragged the qunari down the “Herald’s rest” one evening and had sat her down with everyone else,

“You’re going to have to tell me,” he said both amused and confused “How many Jobs have you had?” The others stopped their conversations to listen- Cassandra, Vivienne, Evelyn, Solas, and Cole were absent along with the advisors-  they were all curious. Katari chuckled,

“Is my work history really that fascinating to you?” she asked, Dorian, rose a brow,

“Yes.” he said, “But if you turn around and say you were once a Chef I swear to the maker I will eat my shoes!”  Katari shrugged,

“I don’t see why this is such a fascinating topic,” she said leaning back in her chair, 

“You’ve worked as a mercenary, a pit fighter, a farrier, a thatcher, and a gamekeeper!” said Varric “That more jobs than most people have in a lifetime.” Blackwall nodded

“I admit that I am quite curious as well.” said the warden, Dorian scoffed when this caught Katari’s attention, he was growing tired of their shared crush for one another- eyefucking he could tolerate but not their sickenly innocent fascination with one another. 

“I’ve been traveling for as long as I can remember.” said Katari with a thoughtful expression “both when I was with and when I had left the Valo-Kas. I took whatever work that people were willing to give a qunari.” she said, She spared a glance at Blackwall who was watching her with an interested expression  _ He is very handsome  _ she thought to herself, before continuing with her story, “I trained as a farrier and a thatcher at once for about three weeks, A was a gamekeeper for a month, I spent two months as a stonemason in Ostwick-” she said, Varric grinned at her

“You’ve been to the free marches?” he asked seemingly overjoyed at the idea, Katari gave him a small smile in return,

“I have indeed.” she said “never went as far as Kirkwall mind, not a very good Idea when you look like this,” she said pointing to her horns, Bull chuckled in the background. Varric nodded sagely, Kirkwall (understandably) wasn’t very friendly towards Qunari. 

“And I once spent three months traveling with the Orleasian Circus,” she said, Varric Spat out his ale, everyone shared similarly shocked expressions. 

“Would you mind repeating that?” asked Dorian disbelievingly, Katari seemed amused by everyone’s expressions, shrugging she said

“They needed someone to set up the tents. I was used to traveling that way with the Valo-Kas” as if it was the most normal thing in the world. The group was still silent as Katari got to her feet,

“Now if you’ll excuse me, Harritt needs help putting in new doors,”  she said before nodding them a goodbye and leaving the Tavern. It was Bull who broke the silence

“Well, that was unexpected.” 

Katari and Harritt lugged the timber through the Rotunda to the doorway to a side corridor, Katari propped the door against the wall, sorting through the bag of hinges and nails. Harritt turned to her and said

“Get started with the door. I’ll go and tell everyone upstairs what we’re doing so they don’t complain about the noise,” he said, Katari nodded as he disappeared up the staircase. After the door was attached to the frame via the hinges she started hammering in extra nails so that it would be more secure. Once the five-inch nails were through the bent the tips before bending the ends so that the nails stapled themselves into the wood. She didn’t hear Solas’ footsteps over the steady swing of her hammer. Solas watched her work away at the door, a pile of books in his arms. Her shoulder blades rolled with each swing, her lithe muscles flexing with strength. She may have been small for a qunari but she had the power of one.  Solas placed the books on his desk, deciding to make his presence Known,

“Good evening, Katari.” Katari swung her hammer once more before turning around to face him.

“Good evening, Solas,” she said taking off her work gloves and placing her hammer on the ground, Solas nodded in greeting,

“I’m surprised you are not in the Herald’s rest with the others,” he said Katari shrugged

“The doors won’t put up themselves,” she said with a small smile. Solas frowned, She had been constantly working away at rebuilding Skyhold ever since they had got her, Evelyn had only been inquisitor for ten minutes when Katari had picked up a hammer and nail,  _ why?  _ He wondered. 

“It’s beautiful here,” she said breaking his train of thought, he nodded smiling softly,

“It is.” he said “Did you know it was made by the ancient elves?” he asked, He wasn’t sure why he wanted her to know that. Katari seemed intrigued.

“No I did not,” she said examining the room, her eyes wide and curious. Solas smiled a little at this, “What is its elven name?” she asked, “Or is it just Skyhold?”  Solas placed his hands behind his back,

“Its name is Tarasyl'an Te'las.” he said, watching her ears as they twitched curiously, “Where the sky is kept.” he translated. Katari seemed to think for a moment,

“It sounds nicer that Skyhold.” she paused “it’s more Lyrical.” Solas agreed, though admittedly he was rather biased. That having been said, Elven sounded had a more distinct rhythm than Common.  

“You should rest. You’ve been working nonstop ever since we arrived,” said Solas,

“My dreams keep me from sleeping properly.”  explained Katari “I may as well be productive,” she said, Solas frowned. 

“I am sorry to hear that,” he said and was, Sleep and dreams was a marvelous thing for him. “If it is not rude to ask, what have you dreamt of  recently?” he asked, curious as to whether she had seen a glimpse of the future in her dreams, Katari chuckled dryly

“Other than knowing whose Bull’s Conquests are a week before he does?” she said, Solas chuckled. “They rarely make sense. The latest one, however, was very odd indeed,” she said with a confused expression, Solas leaned back in his chair,

“Oh?” he asked, Katari looked at him with furrowed brows.

“A woman stepped into a mirror,” she said.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	25. once a pit fighter..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari understands Cole, Cole doesn't always understand Katari.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it took me so long to update *hides behind riot shield* I had a really bad case of writer's block. Ta da!

Solas’ heart skipped a beat, the way it does when you think you are about to fall over. He schooled his face with a neutral expression, swallowing slightly.

“A mirror?” he asked. Katari nodded, 

“Strange isn’t it?”  said Katari with a wistful expression “That having been said, It was rather pleasant compared to some of the more disturbing dreams I have had.” Solas’ brain was close to overheating,  _ she talking about an eluvian,  _ He thought  _ But is it one of mine? How long ago was this, last century, last month?  _ He preened internally at managing to keep a straight face.

“Oh?” he managed, flicking his eyes to her ears as they dropped sheepishly and a red stain appeared on her cheeks, He leaned back in his chair -composed as possible.

“I- uh.” Katari chuckled, her ears perked again mischievously. “She was very pretty,” she said perching on the desk, she picked up one of the books that Solas had been carrying, opening it at a random page and examining it curiously, she rose her eyebrows in surprise. 

“The tome of skill and sundry? You surprise me, Solas.”  Solas had been focused on the Eluvian-  _ What did she see?  _ He thought, growing cold when he realized that if she could see  _ this _ then she could see something much more dangerous. He lost his train of thought when he heard her address him. He saw her sitting on the edge of his desk reading- oh that. Her raised brow indicated her amusement. 

“Vivienne would be proud,” she said dryly. He relaxed in his chair once more, resting his chin on his knuckles lightly as a wry smile played at his lips,

“In Truth, I had planned to read it for my own amusement,” he said wondering if she would catch on to his meaning, Katari smiled flicking through the pages

“Yes. The Chantry’s… adaptations are somewhat overzealous. I imagine it is quite amusing.”  she said, Solas had intended to pry for further information regarding the eluvian- If she had many more dreams like this she could be either very helpful or be a threat to his plans- Alas, she had changed the subject and bringing it up again would be suspicious. He actually found their conversations to be quite pleasant- he saw no harm in talking with her a while longer.

“You have read it before?” he asked curiously, Katari nodded.

“I read quite a lot while traveling with the Valo-kas,” she said smirking at something she read, Solas looked surprised, Katari’s infamous brow rose again

“Don’t look so surprised Solas, We Qunari do read from time to time.” For a moment Solas thought that he had offended her, but her dry smile told him otherwise. He wondered how much more he could push his luck,

“Forgive me, I thought Tal-vashoth spend their time lighting fires raiding villages,” he said, fixing her with a challenging stare, Katari gave him a deadly serious expression,

“Only on special occasions.” She said. A startled laugh came from Solas, He had not expected her wit to be so quick. “But then again,” she continued, “I thought elves spent their time frolicking naked through the woods.” Solas fixed her with the same serious stare,

“Only on special occasions.”  he mirrored before the two chuckled. It had not surprised him to hear that she didn’t think much of the Chantry- she was a Qunari after all. He was going to inquire about her religious views when Cole appeared out of nowhere.

“Cole.” Katari greeted the boy with a small smile, he stepped towards her quietly muttering something about knives and barrels.  Katari nodded, murmuring a few words of agreement- seemily the only one who could decipher Cole’s Ramblings,

“Yes… plums.” muttered Katari, it was near impossible to understand the two when they spoke, as the qunari adopted the same nonsensical way of speaking- it drove many people to near madness. “indeed. Quite right.” she agreed. She turned to face Solas,

“I enjoyed our conversation,” she said bowing her head a little at him before following Cole Out the Rotunda, muttering all the way. 

 

Once Solas got over the strange encounter he realised that he had rather enjoyed their brief conversation as well.  _ What a pity  _ he thought  _ that she was not whole. _

 

_ *** _

“Inquisitor. I respect that you are occupied with all your new duties but we simply must address the threat that demon poses to the inquisition.” said the Enchanter. Evelyn respected Vivienne greatly but the woman still got on her nerves, Cullen nodded

“We must talk about this at the least inquisitor,” he said calmly, Evelyn sighed

“And I respect both of your concerns but  _ Cole _ has done nothing dangerous and is almost always supervised,” Vivienne rose a brow.

“Supervised?” she said disbelievingly “an unknown qunari apostate who knew it when it appeared- who not only encourages its odd behavior but assists it? I would hardly call that supervision- if anything it is a cause for Concern.” Evelyn was about to speak when  _ Cullen  _ of all people rose to her defense,

“ _ Katari. _ ” he said icily  “has a name. I would advise that you use it in the future.” For the first time in all the month Evelyn had known Vivienne, the enchanter’s Mask slipped.

“Commander-” she began. Evelyn cut her off,

“Fine let’s get this over with,” she said marching towards the door, her advisors and Vivienne followed closely behind. 

__

They passed Varric in the great hall, 

“Varric,” said Cassandra, Varric looked up from his notebook in surprise,

“Seeker?” he said, 

“Could you find Katari for us? You speak with her more than I do,” she asked, Varric nodded slowly as a confused expression crossed his face,

“Uh sure.” he said before adding “She’s not in trouble is she?” Vivienne began to respond but Evelyn cut her off once more,

“No she is not- we just need to talk to her.” Varric looked between the two,

“Right.” Drawled Varric as he got up from his chair, he made his way towards the doors,

“Try the barracks,” said Cullen as he followed The others outside.

“The barracks?” mumbled Varric to himself  _ That doesn’t seem like Katari.  _

__

Bull caught up to Varric,

“Hey,” he said down at the dwarf. Varric smiled at him- dodging the messenger that ran past him.

“Hey tiny.” he said, “Can I help you with something?” Bull shrugged

“Nah. just saw team serious marching out pretty -uh...well seriously.” he chuckled “What’s up?” Varric shrugged back,

“Your guess is as good as mine.” he said, “Trevelyan just asked me to fetch Katari.” Bull grinned

“You been downgraded to messenger now Varric?” he asked before his face dropped “She’s not in trouble is she?”, Varric pondered this for a moment. 

“I asked the same thing. Evelyn said no but Vivienne certainly seemed to think so,” he said, Bull winced

“That does not sound good.” he muttered, He noticed where they were headed “why are we going to the barracks?” 

“That where Curly told me to look,” he said, Bull smiled. 

“Yeah, Cullen seems to have warmed up to Katari after Have,” he said.Varric nodded, Bull began wiggling his eyebrows,  “Think they’re gonna-” he made a clicking noise with his tongue “-you know.” he said, Varric laughed,

“Cullen and Katari? No way.” he said “her and Blackwall on the other hand…”  Bull nodded in agreement,

“With the way the eye each other I’m surprised it hasn’t happened already.” As the duo approached barracks they were greeted by the sight of a tightly packed crowd of soldiers. Varric and Bull exchanged a glance before pushing their way through.

Solas had been working on his mural in the rotunda when Cole appeared beside him- although he would deny it later- he jumped.

“Cole.” he acknowledged before looking down to mix a shade of orange on his palette,

“Bleeding, bruising, breaking. It hurts. It hurts so much.” said the boy, Solas turned to him Alarmed. 

“Cole?” he asked, “What is it?” Cole was pacing whilst muttering- Solas had never seen him so distressed before.

“Pain. so much pain!” he wailed “But she won’t let me stop it. She won’t. But they keep hurting her!” Solas put down his palette and brush, grasping cole by the shoulders gently,

“Who Cole?” he asked, “Who’s hurting?” Cole looked up at him with watery blue eyes,

“Katari. She wouldn’t let me stop it. So I came to you. Why won’t she let me when it hurts?” he said, Solas’ eyes were wide 

“Take me there Cole,” he said grabbing his staff.

Katari groaned as she elbowed the soldier in the rib. Ducking under the blow of another before striking him in the chest, Sera Hollered from the sides.

“Come on! Win! I have a sovereign on ya!”  Katari’s expression grew sarcastic, she winced as a near kick grazed her knee,

“Winning what a brilliant idea? Why didn’t I think of that?” she grunted as fell to the ground. She lifted her torso from the ground, swiveling so her legs swiped under the third soldier. As she got to her feet she spotted Bull’s face above the crowd the nodded at him before sending a roundhouse kick at the second oncomer. 

Bull was beaming, he had expected many things when he and Varric approached the barracks- Katari taking on three soldiers in an all-out spar was not one of them.  _ Trevelyan was not lying _ thought Bull as the small Qunari sent a bandaged fist at her attacker. Katari barely stood higher than 5’6 and yet she seemed to only have a slight difficulty in taking down three men who were all larger than her. He turned to look at sera who was nearly as ecstatic as he was,

“A sovereign huh? A bold move.” Sera kept flicking her eyes back to the fight,

“Bold? Blackwall bet two,” she said, Bull Rose a brow  _ Blackwall?  _ And sure enough, the warden stood to the side- not dashing in to save the fair maiden as Bull might have expected but instead he stood at the side with his arms crossed with a proud grin on his face. Bull glanced at the Warden questioningly, The warden approached,

“Two sovereigns?” he asked, Blackwall nodded in Katari’s direction who currently had one soldier pinned to the ground, 

“This?” he said “This is Nothing. When I arrived she was fighting five of them.” he openly stared and the small qunari, the muscles in her back, the white of her hair… the heaving of her breast. Bull was staring now too  _ Well I’ll be damned.   _

“I yield.” said the man on the ground Katari, nodded and rolled off of him to avoid the third soldiers swing. The soldier scampered off to the side. Varric yelled to Katari from the sidelines, 

“The Inquisitor wants to see you!” Katari looked up at him as she lay in the mud,

“I’m a little busy at the moment!” she said as the second soldier wrenched her from the ground in a headlock, she made her weight go dead so that the soldier dropped with her to the ground. Varric merely chuckled to himself. 

Solas rushed towards the crowd, Cole close behind. As he got through the Crowd he sighed with relief when he realised what was going on, 

“Why is it still happening?” asked Cole, Solas meant to answer but instead he got distracted as he watched Katari fight of the last remaining soldier, the qunari bodily threw the man to the ground- putting his arm in a lock and pinning him into the mud. Blood trailed down from her nose, her white flesh was smeared in mud, her leather breeches ripped at the calf and yet it was not these things that caught Solas’ attention- it was the look of complete serenity and  _ control  _ in her eyes. 

“Do you yield?” asked Katari, the man said nothing. “Do you yield?” she asked again, the man nodded,

“I yield.” Katari slowly got off the man as the crowd burst into a cacophony of cheers and groans. Solas watched fascinated as She extended her hand to the man on the ground. The crowd dispersed to collect and pay their bets. 

“You fight well,” said Katari, the man seemed surprised, 

“You as well,” he said before walking off to greet his comrades. 

Sera ran up to Katari,

“Wphoar!” she said “That was awesome!” she said as she handed Katari her earnings. Katari smiled, turning to face Blackwall as he approached.

“Impressive,” he said, Katari flickered her eyes to the ground before they met him.

“Thank you,” she said. Bull came over with a smug expression.

“Not bad.” He said “question is. Can you take on a  _ real  _ man?” he asked challengingly, Katari let a small smirk creep onto her face, stepping closer.

“Question is” she mimicked “Can you take on a real  _ woman _ ?” before walking towards Varric,

“I Can!” shouted Sera from behind, Katari laughed at the elf’s eagerness. 

“Evelyn wants to see me?” she asked as she pocketed her cash, Varric nodded

“Yeah-” he began before he noticed the gold coins slipping into her pouch “Maker Katari! How much are you making in those fights?” he grinned at her, she rose a brow 

“Five sovereigns,” she said quietly, Varric’s eyes popped out of his head,

“Five sovereigns?!” he said in disbelief, Katari pondered it for a moment,

“Five,” she said “A sovereign per man.” She picked up her pack from the ground (she always carried it with her.) “Where is Evelyn?” she asked 

“Team serious is up by the healing tents.” Katari nodded before walking away.

Solas caught up to Katari,

“Katari.” he greeted, Katari nodded in greeting,

“Solas.” The elf spared a glance at Cole who was staring at a bird on the battlement,

“Cole came to me very distressed.” he said, “He didn’t like you fighting.” Katari’s ears dropped, Solas fought the urge to stare at them. 

“I didn’t realise,” she said quietly, 

“I’ve explained to him what was happening,” said Solas “But he still doesn’t like it.” Katar shrugged lightly,

“I tried to tell him- I have to make money somehow,” she said before she could say much more, however, Cole appeared beside her muttering about potatoes in the fireplace, Katari listened intently and Solas watched as the two walked ahead  _ wait  _ he thought  _ Katari doesn’t get paid?  _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the banter! Please tell me if you have any ideas, prompts and criticisms, I'd love to know what I can to improve my work!


	26. a civil discussion

 

“You would think that she had the decency to at least wash before meeting us.” Vivienne turned up at her nose at Katari- still covered in mud from the fighting. Cassandra rose a brow,

“We didn’t exactly give her the time.” said the seeker, Vivienne folded her arms,

“She shouldn’t be walking around like that in the first place.” said the circle mage, 

“Tell me, Enchanter,” said Solas as he approached, “does your problem lie with Qunari or just apostates in general?” The elf’s brow was raised and his hands were clasped cooly behind him, Evelyn fought the overwhelming urge to make an “ooooooooh” noise.  _ Suck on that Vivienne.  _ She thought gleefully to herself. If Vivienne had hair to flip over her shoulder she most certainly would have,

“Her race has nothing to do with it- my problem lies with the fact that she acts little better than a savage; fighting, smoking and drinking to her heart's content. It’s deplorable, she ought to act like-” Cassandra cut her off,

“Like what? A lady?” Vivienne looked at the seeker in all six feet of her armor-clad, battle-scarred glory and realized that she had made a grievous mistake, 

“Seeker, I did not mean-” She was cut off once again, this time by Evelyn,

“As much as I am enjoying this, let’s get to the matter at hand shall we?” The enchanter nodded

“Of course inquisitor.” 

 

The Enchanter Irked Solas greatly- he would be lying if he didn’t entertain the idea of ripping her verbally (and sometimes physically) to shreds. The woman was so blinded by bigotry and the Chantry.  _ it is remarkable how those two things go hand in hand  _ he thought to himself dryly. Anyone who so much as exchanged a greeting with Katari could tell that she was anything but savage- she was polite, curious and intelligent but knowing the Vivienne she probably hadn’t stooped so low as to introduce herself. 

“Ah yes the Creature.” said the Enchanter, Katari was talking with Cole near the steps, she sat on the ground, holding out a leaf towards him as she appeared to explain something. “You already Know of my attitude towards it,”    


Solas internally counted to ten,  _ do not murder the enchanter, do not murder the enchanter.  _ The woman continued, she turned to solas with an icy stare,

“This  _ thing  _ is not a stray puppy you can make into a pet. It has no business being here,” She addressed him as if he was little more than a child- Nobody knew how old Solas truly was but he still appeared the same age (if not older) than the enchanter. He was so close to saying  _ you would say the same of Katari  _ but then he realized how weird that sounded- Katari was not his  _ pet.  _ So instead he said,

“Wouldn’t you say the same of an apostate?” The inquisitor hummed in agreement- she too was an apostate. 

Cassandra’s expression grew curious, 

“Inquisitor,” she said “I wondered if Cole was perhaps a mage, given his unusual abilities.” Solas turned to Cassandra,

“He can cause people to forget him or even fail entirely to notice him.” he said, Katari had begun to approached them, “These are not the abilities of a mage.” he said with certainty “It seems that Cole is a spirit.” Katari had approached just in time to hear this, 

“A spirit?” she asked, Solas could tell she was thinking-  her eyes a window to the thoughts, memories, and theories rushing behind them. Katari knew only a little of spirits, traveling on the road left little time for training beyond control and self-defense. Solas opened his mouth to confirm what he had said but Vivienne spoke first,

“It is a demon.” said the enchanter, Katari spared a glance back at Cole who currently fascinated by an orange butterfly, she rose a brow. 

“If you prefer,” said Solas cooly “Although, the truth is somewhat more complex.” Katari was going to ask him a question regarding the nature of spirits when Evelyn spoke,

“Cole warned us about Corypheus at Haven, He saved a lot of lives.” reasoned Evelyn, 

“And what will it helps cost? How many lives will this demon later claim?” asked the Enchanter, Solas intervened,

“In fact, his nature is not so easily defined.”  Cassandra was growing impatient,

“Speak plainly Solas, What are we dealing with?”  Solas seemed to think for a moment before answering 

“Demons normally enter this world by possessing something. In their true form they look bizarre, monstrous,” he explained, 

“But you claim Cole looks like a young man. Is it possession?” urged Cassandra,

Solas shook his head,

“No. He has possessed nothing and no one, And yet he appears human in all respects,” said Solas, he turned to Evelyn,

“Cole is unique, inquisitor. More than that, he wishes to help. I suggest you allow him to do so.” he said confidently, Evelyn paused before asking,

“In my studies, Demons either possess something from this world or were summoned and bound. They almost never look like something you’d mistake for a person.” a glimmer of approval crossed Solas expression at Evelyn’s skepticism, Solas nodded

“Normally,” he said “you’d be correct. But Cole has willingly manifested In human form without possessing anyone.”  he explained, Trevelyn tilted her head

“The demons who came through the breach or through the rifts weren’t possessing anything,” she said, 

“Those demons were drawn through against their will, driven mad by this world but Cole predates the breach from what we can tell, he has lived here for months, perhaps years. He looks like a young man. For all intents and purposes, he is a young man.” he said, excited eyes betraying his solemn expression.  “It is remarkable.” Evelyn seemed to contemplate this, she turned to Katari with curious eyes, 

“I would like to hear what Katari has to say” a twitch of Katari’s ears was the only indication of her surprise, “you have spent the most time with him.” said the inquisitor. 

For a moment Katari didn’t say anything, glancing down at her boots before meeting Evelyn’s eyes,

“Before Haven.” she began “when I began to dream of Cole, He was alone. Afraid and confused. I have I fought long enough to recognize when it is genuine. I cannot tell you  _ what  _ Cole is but he can feel- He can feel pain and joy and fear just as much as any person if not more so. He wants to help and spirit or not... I trust him.” the reactions were varied, Vivienne; unimpressed, Cassandra’s expression softened and Evelyn nodded, taking in what she said. 

“Cole can stay. Though I would like to hear what he has to say.”  Solas was happy to hear that Cole could remain with the Inquisition and he was especially pleased that Trevelyan had taken him for his word- that his opinion was respected, seemingly more so than the opinion of a Circle mage. What struck him most, however, was Katari. She had not only spoken well but she continued to view Cole as a person even after she had been told he was a spirit, There never seemed to be an end to the qunari and her surprises.

Solas was walking back to the rotunda when Katari caught up to him, 

“Solas,” she said softly, Solas turned around surprised (he had not been expecting company) 

“Katari.” he greeted. Her cloak was back on, Evelyn had returned it to her after their conversation earlier. 

“I was wondering if you could tell me about spirits- about Cole,” she said, Solas fixed her with a curious expression,

“How much do you know of spirits?” he asked, stepping out of the way of a courier who scuttled past him. 

“I truth? Not much, I was taught the basics- how to avoid demons while I’m dreaming and so on,” she said “With all the traveling and fighting we didn’t have the time to learn much more and later After I’d left the Valo-kas… it seemed a taboo subject.” she explained, Solas frowned but nodded  _ it made sense _ . 

“It is. The Chantry frowns upon it more than the other schools,” he said, Katari chuckled lightly

“I’d be lying if I said that it isn’t one of the reasons it intrigues me so,” she said quietly. A small smile played at Solas’ lips,  _ indeed  _ he thought there was a thrill in such a thing.

“And the other reasons?” he asked- he wanted to know her thoughts on it before he got too enthusiastic, Katari thought for a moment as they walked

“Spirits are beings on a whole different plane of existence from our own- It sounds like an entirely different world,” she said, “I’m not sure exactly- it is a mystery and I enjoy unraveling them.” Solas had been unsure whether his enthusiasm for the fade would be welcome- it seemed that it might not be the case. Katari caught his gaze and mistook it as irritation, “I’m sorry. I did not mean to ramble.” she apologized, Solas shook his head,

“On the contrary,” he said “it is refreshing for someone to be interested in my studies,”  He was quite certain that he had never heard her say so much at once before-  _ she certainly is a curious thing.  _ “What do you want to know?” he asked, 

“You said that a spirit’s true form is strange- “monstrous” as you put it.” Solas nodded, “is it possible that perhaps Cole’s true form is just that of a young man? Can spirits not just look like people?” she asked. Solas contemplated it  _ wisdom appears as an elven woman.  _ He thought, 

“It is certainly possible, I have encountered many spirits in the fade that look like people but in our world, they often look translucent and ethereal- not like Cole,” he said

“The demons we encounter near rifts often appear corporeal,” she said thoughtfully, 

“True enough.” he said, “It  _ is  _ possible, I just have never encountered it before.” Even in times before the Veil spirits had not appeared that way but it was not so far-fetched to be thought impossible.

“The Chantry wouldn’t like that mind- spirits that can look like people,” she said, Solas hummed in agreement,

“They already fear mages to be abominations- the idea that they didn’t need to possess anyone would frighten them greatly,” he said, he felt a little worried for Cole then; he hated the thought that such a pure spirit might come to harm from a paranoid Andrastarian. Katari crouched to tie a bootlace that had come undone. As she did so, she noticed Solas bare feet, a wry expression crossed solas' face when he noticed her gaze, “Something interesting?” he asked, Katari got to her feet and shrugged

“I had always wondered why so many elves go barefoot. Then I remembered that my people walk around shirtless.” she chuckled “I’m really in no position to judge,” Solas huffed out a short laugh at her honesty- It wasn’t bluntness, she was too polite for that. 

“I’m not a sure either,” he said “It just feels natural to do,” he said looking down at his feet, Katari it appeared had the ability to put him at ease. He decided to go back to their earlier topic  _ as much as feet are a fascinating topic  _ he thought, “what would you think of a world where spirits walked amongst us?” he asked, Katari’s ears twitched with contemplation, his eyes strayed towards them.

“I think it could be wonderful were it possible- I really don’t know enough about them to form a proper opinion but is a nice idea,” she said, Solas tried not to get to excited at the prospect.

“Oh?” he said “some would consider it dangerous,” he said curiously regarding her response,

“A fast river is dangerous, so are bears, so are people,” she argued “It is not a fear of spirits people have so much as a fear of the unknown. If spirits were commonplace and understood they would not be nearly so terrifying.” she said thoughtfully. Solas listened to her with rapt attention  _ how was it that someone so young, a qunari no less understood that? She truly had a bright mind.  _

“I’m sorry,” she said for the second time that day,  _ whatever for?  _ Thought Solas. “I’m thinking too deeply about the theoretical and impossible,” Solas gave her a light expression,

“Not at all,” he said as they reached the stone steps leading to the great hall  “I have enjoyed our conversation. Katari nodded politely at him 

“Likewise,” she said gesturing to her muddy form, “I should go wash up.”  

“Good afternoon Katari.”

Katari cranked her shoulder in a circle, cataloging the damage and noting to herself  _ in future put your whole weight behind every hit lest you sprain your wrist.  _ She examined the new bruises as she walked mostly purple and red with how fresh they were, her lip and was also somewhat tender but aside from that she was none the worse for ware. It had been a good morning, she had earned herself some coin, she had her curiosity sated and she hadn’t (seriously) injured herself. It was after she had walked past the inn when someone shouted out to her.

“You! You there!” Katari slowly dragged gaze to a man behind her; it was one of the soldiers that had been sparring her earlier  _ Brooker  _ she thought his name was. He must have been standing outside the inn with a few friends as a few men lingered by the door with intent expressions.

“Can I help you?” she asked shortly, The man watched her for a moment, rubbing the back of his palm against his cheek before saying,

“I want a rematch,” he said, Katari remembered that he had been the second one to yield and how he had been reluctant to even in a headlock. She shrugged- there was no harm in it,

“come the same tomorrow and you’ll have one,” she said nodding at him before turning around. A large palm grasped her shoulder. A different voice came from the group of soldiers,

“Leave it Brooker!” it said, Brooker waved him off and turned his gaze to meet Katari’s whose eyes slowly went down to the hand on his shoulder than back to his face. The look she gave him was analytical.

“I meant now,” said Brooker- he had yet to remove his hand. Katari didn’t move as he glanced at him over her shoulder.

“Sorry I am done for the day,” she said. The scene was attracting the gaze of more than a few people’s attention. Brooker leaned in whilst tightening his grip,

“I want to fight now. Ox,” he said lowly, Katari was hardly intimidated and she knew better than to cause a scene,

“Patience is a virtue,” she said calmly. Brooker rolled his shoulders and flexed his knuckles, before leaning right into her personal space,

“And what would an Ox know of virtue?” he asked, the air was thick with silence and weight of their audiences gaze was heavy, she didn’t break eye contact.

“Not much,” she said “but more than a pig,” She had plenty of warning to know what was about to happen, she looked around her- they had an audience. She knew exactly what she was going to do; nothing.

The first punch threw her to the ground with a dull crack. knocking her lights out for a second, but once she spat out the mixture of blood and dirt out of her mouth she flicked her eyes back up at him with a white-hot stare. She and no one else said anything, this seemed to anger him more so he hit her again- and yet she did not make a sound. So he hit her again. And again. Her gaze didn’t waver, that silent, stony, challenging stare.  _ Do it.  _ It seemed to say  _ Do it.  _ Everyone watching seemed to want it to end but nobody wanted to stop it. His hits grew sloppy after a while instead he opted for kicking instead. Katari continued to look him in the eyes- 

She smirked at him, the action tugging painfully on a lip that was now burst, A bright red rush of blood down her chin and neck. He stopped- startled- as the woman smiled up at him from a bloody pile on the ground, her face lopsided from the bruise forming on her cheek.   He staggered back as she got to her feet, eyes flickering about in apprehension. She dusted down her cloak.

“Got it out your system?” she asked bluntly, he sputtered in response. She rose a brow at him, not even wincing as it tugged at her bruise. “Good,” she said before turning away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone! I hoped you enjoyed it! I've been thinking about other future fics, what are your feelings on an Avatar story? I love the film and am surprised it doesn't have a larger fanbase. I am also thinking about a mass effect story, possibly javik/OC. Also, I'm terrible at writing summary's and I hate the one for this piece if anyone can write a better one I'd really appreciate the help!


	27. an intervention

Bull grinned sheepishly as he wiped a floury hand on his trousers. _ we probably shouldn’t have done this in the kitchen  _ he thought while he fastened his belt. The kitchen girl giggled from her place atop the counter, she was a pretty little thing with dark hair and pleasing plumpness to her- even prettier now in Bull’s eyes with her skirt hitched over her white thighs and her hair mussed.

He offered a hand to her as she hopped down from the counter, beaming when she wobbled on her legs,

“So how was your first qunari?” he asked slyly (he had been overjoyed when the girl had propositioned  _ him)  _ she smiled blissfully up at him,

“That was… new. I had fun,” Bull chuckled at her wording. He liked Fereldens -while not as liberal as the Riviani and Antivans when it came to sex, he often found them pleasantly unabashed when it came down to the actual act.

“That’s one way of saying it. I suppose it’s not often a human gets to bed one of us,” he mused aloud, The girl laughed, wiping down the counter with a wet cloth.

“Not for lack of trying,” she said, Bull’s curiosity was peaked,

“Oh?” he asked, For some reason, the girl gestured to corner near the oven,

“The small one. Mistress Katari, I think her name is? Turned me down- gently mind. She actually pointed me in your direction,” Bull was torn between wanting to give Katari a pat on the back for sending such a delectable thing his way and hitting her on the upside of her head for turning her down in the first place- she ought to have some action once in a while. 

“Only second choice was I?” he asked teasingly, the girl smacked his side gently

“It’s not like you’re in the kitchens often,” she shrugged, Bull furrowed his brows

“And she is?” he had never heard or seen Katari helping out in the kitchens. The girl nodded,

“She is. Sleeps in here at night, hasn’t got a room yet- poor thing. She’s ever so nice an’ all, doesn’t leave a trace behind.” Bull’s expression straightened when he realized why the girl had gestured to that part of the room earlier- it was the corner where Katari slept, close to the oven for warmth. How had he not known about this? Suddenly feeling bad about taking all the rooms in the tavern for the Chargers and himself. “Now as much as I had fun, I have work to do. So shoo!” said the kitchen girl playfully, Bull raised his hands,

“I’m out. I’m out,” he chuckled.

 

Josephine lifted her head at the knock at the door, she kneaded her temples gently _not another interruption_ she thought whilst putting down her quill. The cat on her lap mewled awoken by her movement, Josephine smiled down at it before saying,

“Come in!”  _ they had the courtesy to knock at least.  _ She had expected several things that day- The Iron Bull popping his head through the door was not one of them.

“Hey. Can I talk with you for a minute?” he asked, Josephine’s grip on her quill fumbled. 

“Why yes, of course!” she managed. Bull smirked, Josephine was not easily flustered -he had felt her eyes in him before but Alas! Trevelyan had her attention now. Bull ducked as he entered the room, aware of how large he was in his surroundings, a few seconds later he found himself at her desk, towering over the small woman. The cat on her lap merely sparing him a lazy glance- cleary the qunari was not at all that interesting. He looked around, uncertain that any seat in here. could support his weight. A small table was his only option. 

“I would like to talk to you about Katari,” he said, Josephine’s lips parted in surprise,

“Mistress Katari?” she asked, Bull nodded, 

“She hasn’t been assigned a room,” said Bull, he watched her analytically, watching for signs of surprise or confusion. Josephine was indeed surprised,

“What? No. She must have been!” said the antivan, shuffling through her papers, Bull shook his head grimly,

“She hasn’t. She’s been sleeping on the kitchen floor for the last few weeks,” he said, Josephine raised a hand to her mouth aghast,

“Why didn’t she tell me! This is unacceptable! The poor girl,” she gasped. One of Leliana’s scouts was walking out of the war room, Josephine waved them over. “Fetch mistress Katari would you?” the scout nodded before scurrying out. The ambassador immediately began looking through her papers, “I feel terrible!” she muttered, “If only she had told me!” 

A few moments later Katari walked into the room, Josephine was still examining papers 

“Thank andraste I managed to get a hold of you, why did-” the ambassador trailed off mid-sentence when she looked up at Katari before gasping, “Mistress Katari! What happened to you?” Katari was covered in a myriad of bruises, her lip was split and her cheek was swollen red. Bull stood up in surprise, Katari bowed her head courteously- as if she looked no different than normal. 

“My apologies, I was momentarily detained,” she said, Bull cursed in Qunlat. 

“Maker Katari! You look as though you were  _ letting  _ them hit you!” he said, his face dropped when he got no snarky response, “Katari?” he asked puzzled “you  _ were _ letting them hit you?” Katari smiled despite the stinging pull on her lip. 

“It is difficult to explain,” she said as she approached the desk. Josephine was still stunned,

“What did you want to talk about?” she said sitting in a chair, 

“... your room. Or Lack thereof- you should go see a healer!” she blurted getting out of her chair and getting closer to the small qunari, looking at her injuries with unabashed horror, Katari Chuckled,

“No need. It can w-” she said with a sudden hiss. 

“I’m getting Solas.” he deadpanned, Katari reached out an arm

“There’s no point in troubling him, I can visit the healer’s tent later,” she said. Bull walked out of the room anyway. Josephine fussed over Katari, taking in her muddy and bloody clothes,

“We’ll get you cleaned up, you can get changed into a fresh set of clothes and-”

“I can’t” interrupted Katari softly, Josephine paused in confusion,

“Whatever do you mean?” she asked, for the first time Katari looked ashamed, closing herself off.

“I can’t get changed. These are the only clothes that I have,” said Katari quietly suddenly feeling very out of place in the lush furnishings of Josephine’s study, Josephine’s features softened in sympathy, 

“Katari…” The pity hurt. Even though Katari Knew that Josephine meant nothing by it. How could she tell her that she carried her home in the pack on her back? Before either of them could say any more, Bull, Dorian, and Solas entered the room.

“I’ve already told you, Dorian, I am more than capable at performing a basic healing spell,” said Solas, 

“And I’ve already told you that my studies in that area-” Dorian was cut of Bull, 

“Yeah, yeah. My staff’s bigger than yours,” he mumbled, Solas was about to speak when he caught sight of Katari sitting in front of Josephine. Fresh wounds were displayed on her face, as well as a look of shame. He furrowed his brows  _ I had spoken to her only an hour ago, what has happened since?  _ A look of concern crossed his face as he walked over to her, immediately going into ‘healer mode’ Josephine stepped back as Solas grasped Katari’s chin and tilted her head from side to side, He tutted at the burst lip. Dorian looked gobsmacked

“What- How- you know you’re supposed to block punches right?” he asked, Her face contorted in solas’ hands as she smirked- glancing at Dorian out of the corner of her eye,

“Been on the receiving end before, have you?” Dorian smirked in response,

“A few times,” he said. Bull had been silent the whole time, merely watching what unfolded. Solas frowned at the sight of Katari’s usually unmarred face distorted by bruising. He didn’t know why he felt stirrings of anger within him,  _ It was a human.  _ He thought  _ It had to be.  _ He put down the fluttering in his stomach as the beginnings of adrenaline- the thought of violence, it had nothing to do with the subtle warmth flesh beneath his fingers. 

“Who did this?” asked Solas as he tilted her head up to examine the staining on her jaw. Katari shrugged lightly as if it was nothing more than an errant insult or gesture.

“One of the soldiers needed to get out his anger… and pride,” she offered vaguely, Solas opened his mouth to speak but Bull got there first,

“So what?” he asked tensely “you offered to be his personal punching bag?” asked Bull with his arms folded, 

“I handled it,” said Katari, Bull muttered something in qunlat. Solas looked Katari up and down,

“Anywhere else?” he asked Katari opened her mouth to say no before saying,

“My ribs, a few might be cracked,” she said, Solas sighed. Katari took off her cloak, hearing several intakes of breath as she exposed her grazed elbows and scratched arms. A large purple stain crept from under her vest and onto her chest, she lifted her arms as Solas, gently placed his hands on her ribs, they gently swelled with each breath. He softly pressed in places, noting when it felt different or when she hissed quietly, he straightened.

“You were lucky. Only two seemed to be damaged- the bruising however is quite extensive,” he said thumbing her split lip curiously.

  
Katari examined him.  _ He is quite… pleasant to look at  _ thought Katari, she hadn’t really noticed before. She had noticed subconsciously, of course, he had symmetrical features, high cheekbones, and a defined jawline. She had also noticed how broad and tall he was compared to other elves- 

_ odd  _ she thought but then again she was hardly in the position to judge when she was a qunari who stood at less than five foot four. But it was only now that he was close that she noticed the fullness of his bottom lip and the light freckling on his face  _ it is a pity  _ she thought  _ that Sera and Dorian tease him so about being ugly. He really is quite handsome, even with the lack of hair.  _ She smirked lightly at the thought, Solas rose a brow at the action,

“I should have no problem healing your ribs or the bruising- I’m not sure what can be done for your lip, it is split very badly,” he said, Katari shrugged.

“Just another scar. It is no issue,” Solas frowned at the statement- it would be unfortunate were it to scar her face.  Dorian seemed to agree,

“No issue? And scar that face? Absolutely not. Allow me,” Dorian walked past Solas- the Tevinter’s aura roughly shoved solas out of the way- to anyone else it appeared as though nothing had happened. Dorian placed a hand to Katari’s lip. He furrowed his brows in concentration before Katari felt the rush of magic through her skin- it was not unlike blood rushing back to your foot after sitting on it for too long. Josephine watched fascinated as flesh stretched out from the wound, adding layer upon layer of muscle before a sheen of skin appeared over the redness. Dorian took a deep breath before grinning at his work, her lip had returned to its original pink fullness. 

“You see! Good as new!” said Dorian proudly  “nothing-can-be-done-for-your-lip my arse,” he muttered. 

Solas grit his teeth. Something about the Altus healing that lip had bothered him, not the  _ healing  _ per say but something unsettled him about being shown up in Public.  _ The Audacity  _ he thought  _ the audacity of throwing his aura around like that, clearly modern mages aren’t taught basic etiquette _ He thought.  Solas put his shoulders back and straightened his spine, before striding over to Katari, using his aura to  _ gently  _ push Dorian's aside. Dorian began squabbling with Bull over something in the background while Josephine tried to hide her amusement. Katari looked at him silently as he reached for her ribs once again, raising her arms for him. He exhaled and closed his eyes, he pushed energy out from his fingertips, his aura opening up to allow the magic out of his own body and into Katari’s. Her aura did nothing. It seemed completely unreactive-  _ can she even sense other mages auras?  _ He wondered. If he didn’t know better he would have thought her unconscious. Katari’s breath hitched as she felt solas magic flow into her rib, there was a light snapping noise as it fixed itself. His magic felt different to Dorian’s- steadier and cooler. She breathed in relief once her ribs were healed. He moved his hand to her collarbone- fingers curling lightly over her shoulder, Katari watched curiously as the bruises changed color- red, purple, blue then yellow before fading completely, Lastly, he reached for her cheek. Her eyes went over to Dorian who was pulling an appalled expression while Bull laughed dirtily. She only vaguely felt Solas’s hand against her face- the stinging was more noticeable. It felt wrong to make eye contact when he was so close; too intimate. 

“All done,” he said with a tight-lipped smile, before curiosity bled into his expression, “why were you in here anyway?” he asked, Katari looked over at Josephine

“Josephine wanted to talk to me about living quarters,” she said catching Josephine’s attention,

“Oh! You look much better than the maker for Solas being so nearby,” she said, Solas nodded in response. She went back to her desk settling herself in the large chair and addressing Katari once more

, “I must apologize Katari. Bull has just informed me that don’t have a room yet,” Dorian looked surprised,

“No room? But we have been here for over a month!” said the altus, Katari smiled at Josephine

“It’s quite alright. I have managed without,” she said, Bull hummed in the background.

“Yeah. I’ve heard. The kitchen floor isn’t a place to sleep,” He said, obviously pissed off. Dorian gasped,

“The kitchen Floor!” he squeaked “Katari, you should Have told me! I would have let you share with me,” he said putting a hand on her shoulder. 

 

_ She wasn't even sleeping on a bed.  _ Thought Solas,  _ how had this been overlooked? It is possible somebody thought she'd be in heralds rest.  _ H e thought but he knew that was unlikely  _ They prioritized the humans first.  _ He glanced down to where Dorian's hand rested on her shoulder and didn’t know why Dorian’s offer made him uncomfortable; it’s not like there was anything between Katari and the altus (Dorian spent too much time ogling soldiers in the training grounds for that to be a concern) Perhaps it was the closeness that the two shared, that a bright and promising young person like Katari would enjoy spending time with a tevinter magister.  _ It is strange  _ he thought,  _ a Tal Vashoth, a Qunari and a Tevinter magister  _ it sounded like the beginning of a bad joke.  _ How is it, that such individuals can befriend one another even when their people snap at one another’s throats.  _ How different they all were, Bull’s rugged bluntness, Dorian’s flamboyant ego and Katari’s quiet humility But they were all intelligent in their own right and had such passion and certainty in who they were. They were almost a complete party too noted Solas  _ A mage, a warrior and a rogue… Katari was a mage too. It is a shame that her body restricts her mind. Such opportunities, possibilities- it was sad she’d never be able to  fully explore them.  _

 

“Thank you Dorian but it isn’t necessary,” assured Katari, before she could say anymore Solas had left the room.  _ I'm talking to the inquisitor.  _ He thought as he marched out the room.

 

It was about ten minutes later when only Josephine and Katari remained. 

“I’m so sorry about all of this- I wasn’t aware,” said Josephine, Katari smiled tiredly in return. “Your room should be ready by the time you return from the Storm Coast.” there was a pause “Are you sure about your choice?” she asked, her face uncertain.  Katari nodded

“It’s out of the way. You have already been generous enough as it is.” she said as she got to her feet, the evening sky was a light grey on the other side of the window pane. She needed to go down to the tavern now if she wanted the miss the dinner time rush. But as Katari went to the door Josephine placed a hand on her arm,

“Come with me,” she said, Katari furrowed her Brows

“Why?” she asked, Josephin,e smiled,

“You can borrow some fresh clothes until I get yours cleaned,” she said, from the look on Katari’s face you’d think she was offering to shave her head,

“That’s really not necessary Josephine,” she defended “besides nothing would fit me, I-” Josephine shushed her,

“Nonsense! Come with me.” she tugged her away with a bright grin.

Katari looked at herself in Josephine's mirror.

“I am not sure that a skirt is a good idea,” said the qunari, never having worn anything but breeches before she felt exposed in the long green skirt that fell to the floor.

“I'm afraid I don't have any.” said Josephine, her hands were clasped in front of her face not even bothering to conceal how much fun she was having. “are you sure I can't get you to try on a dress?” asked the contented Antivan, Qatari spared her a quick glance over her shoulder. 

“They are much too good Josephine, I'd be afraid of ruining them.” said Katari glancing at the piles of silk, velvet and satin that piled up in layers of petticoats and lace on the bed. “I feel bad enough as it is,” she said

“nonsense!” said Josephine, “I feel like a little girl again, dressing up a doll,” Katari gave the woman a tight lipped smile

“I'd hardly call myself a doll.” she said “besides aren't you worried about Evelyn getting the wrong idea? Inviting me up to your room-” her cheeky speech for cut short by a high pitched squeal from Josephine who was blushing bright red. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” she said as if that would hide how giddy she was at the mere mention of Evelyn’s name. Katari smirked, readjusting the blouse  Josephine had given her, it sat a little lower than she'd like; it was off the shoulder like she had seen a few freedom women wear with billowing sleeves made of white linen. Katati's skin was so white that the shirt seemed off-white in comparison, the little blue cornflowers stood out pleasantly from their green embroidered leaves. “She likes you too,” She said “even a blind man could see it.” she turned around to face her, Josephine nervously tweaked an earring

“you think so?” she asked Katari smiled

“I know so,” she said. Josephine could barely stop a smile from reaching her face.

“a belt!” she said suddenly “you need a belt,” she said before dashing out of the room. Katari looked down at herself  _ true  _ she thought, is all hung a little too loosely on her waist. She looked back into the mirror unsure whether or not she liked how she looked, she couldn't help but feel like an ox  in a dress. The whole thing was a little girlier than she'd like, though she didn't mind femininity per say. She couldn't help but smile a little as she leant side to side, the skirts swishing with the movement  _ It's like a bell.  _ She thought. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


 


	28. a word, if you don't mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas has a word with the inquisitor.

“Solas!” said Evelyn looking up from her desk, “Can I help you?” a pair of round spectacles sat on her nose -something Solas had never imagined Trevelyan wearing- she adjusted them subconsciously, seemingly embarrassed at being seen wearing them. 

 

Solas paused for a moment before saying

“You do not care that I am an elf,” he said, there was another moment of silence. “You told me once that anyone was welcome in the inquisition regardless of their race?” Evelyn put down her papers, her brows furrowed in concern,

“I did. And that statement still stands. Has something happened Solas?” she asked. Solas frowned, gritting his teeth. 

“Does it?” he asked sharply, ignoring her question. Evelyn blinked, taken aback by the bite in his words, she straightened her posture,

“It does,” she said “I wish to speak with you as an equal- shall we speak plainly?” she asked getting up from her chair. Solas nodded,

“Very well,” he said clasping his hands behind his back. “This is about Katari,” Evelyn frowned any idea she had as to what had happened vanishing at the statement,

“Katari?” she asked, Solas seemed to grow even angrier, 

“Katari. You claim that Race doesn't matter here and yet She sleeps on the kitchen floor after almost single-handedly rebuilding Skyhold by herself. She has done enough work here that earn a human a lifetime's worth of salary and yet She has not been paid a single coin!” Evelyn listened in horror and awe as he spoke, she had never seen Solas angry like this before, he didn't even sympathise with his own people on most occasions and yet here he was passionately voicing his disgust to the _inquisitor._ If she didn’t know better she might have thought that Solas had been running things around here. “And as if that wasn't enough, She gets beaten bloody outside and nobody seems to care!” he said flinging out his arm to point outside the window, “right. There.” Evelyn furrowed her brows 

“What? Why I have not heard of this? And why would anyone attack Katari? Bull hasn't complained of anything similar-” she started,

“You know exactly why. She is small and those men are cowardly enough to think that makes her an easy target for their bigotry!” rage lashed from his tongue and it was clear that he was letting loose an anger that he had managed to keep on check long before Skyhold. Evelyn turned abruptly from him, the way a child puts their hands over their ears when a parent yells at them. Her hand moved towards her head as if she was going to wring her hair in them but she threw them down and after taking a deep, calming breath she said,

“I appreciate your candor, Solas. Neither you or Katari have ever hidden your opinions when I asked them of you.” she paused “Never tried to please me, it is an honesty that this world is in short supply of and I have done nothing to repay you both.” she turned to face him again, determination in her eyes that admittedly threw him. “I will amend this, Solas. You have my word,” 

  
Solas regarded her for a moment, her rigid posture, her ‘at ease’ stance- ironically named as there was nothing relaxed about it- and Solas wondered,  _ when. Had this Vagabond mage, a warrior become a soldier?  _ There was an age to her, a seriousness about her mouth that hasn't existed before Haven. A diminishing twinkle behind her eyes, a spirit squashed by the heavy  weight of duty. And for the first time in an eternity, Solas felt pity for a human. He softened a little, his mind going off to a place long ago and a time far away, when he himself began to bear such a burden. “thank you. In-” he paused, remembering how quickly people had forgotten his name. “Evelyn,”  Slowly, tension the slipped from her back, 

“you are welcome Solas,” 

 

***

Katari wore her cloak over the clothes Josephine had given her. It didn’t cover all of her, falling short around seven inches from the ground, letting the green skirt swish freely along the earth. Sparing a glace from under her hood,  _ I don’t think people recognize me,  _ She thought. And why would they? Most of them didn’t even know her name, she was the small Oxman woman that the inquisitor had brought back from Denerim. Nobody knew much more than that, she was the pit fighter. The mongrel that was always covered in mud. 

 

Slender white fingers fidgeted with the crow dagger in her pocket. It wasn’t that she didn’t  _ like  _ the clothes that had been given to her- she just didn’t know what to do with herself whilst wearing them; Should she stride in confidence, as if she did this often? Or was this an opportunity to step into another’s shoes? Spend an hour pretending she had a full set of memories? For once let herself be a woman first and a qunari second. She sighed, only an hour ago she had taken a beating from a man twice her size and yet here she was, reduced to a green youth by a damn  **skirt** . 

 

She had been hoping to avoid rush hour at the tavern But as she approached the Herald’s rest she was reminded of how much time her little  _ delay  _ had cost her. There was a small crowd outside the doors, already cooling themselves in the evening air to rid themselves of their tipsy warmth. Quietly she stepped between them, they paid the small cloaked woman no heed as she slipped quietly through the door. It was packed inside, there was not a table free in sight. She flicked her gaze around the room,  _ this was a bad idea.  _ She thought  _ Clara in the kitchens might give me something.  _ Yes. she would skip dinner tonight, that seemed best. She turned around, green skirts swishing with the movement, Katari paused.  _ I do like that part.  _ She thought with a faint smile.

 

Before she could take a step further, however, she felt a gauntleted hand on her shoulder, she clasped her dagger beneath her cloak on reflex.

“Katari? Is that you?” she relaxed at Krem’s voice, she turned to face him. 

“Hello, Krem,” she said softly, he beamed in response,

“I thought it was you!” he said, “I recognize that cloak of yours more than I do your face!” He was a merry drunk it seemed (though he wasn’t quite drunk yet, only mildly tipsy) she breathed out a chuckle at that, she liked Krem. “Crowded. Isn’t it?” he said over the noise “Let me find you a seat!” he said, 

“No, kr-” she tried to explain that she wouldn’t be staying but he had already disappeared into the crowd, leaving he standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. She sidest epped the occasional drunkard as she waited. She tugged the hood further over her face, she spared a glance to where Bull normally sat- the chair was empty. 

 

“I’ve got one!” Katari turned to face Krem, letting out a startled laugh when she saw that he was carrying a chair over his head. He put it next to where he normally sat, inviting her over with a broad sweep of his arm. She smiled softly, walking over to him. To her surprise, he pulled the seat out for her (even though there was no table) she laughed at the silliness of it all. He extended a hand, “let me take your cloak,” he said, she hesitated before nodding and slowly took down her hood, before she could take it off herself, however, Krem had stepped behind her, gently removing it from her shoulders. Katari’s heart was racing as she heard several conversations nearby grind to halt, a chorus of whispers swelling from the nearby tables. Krem rose his brows in surprise, he hadn’t been paying attention to her clothes until now, he glanced quickly around the room, several eyes were on her as she sat down into the chair he had brought for her. A pink blush was staining her cheeks, it would have been rather becoming if he didn’t know it was from shame. She glanced up in surprise when she felt his hand on her shoulder again,

“You look lovely Katari,” she tried to suppress a smile as he sat down in his chair,

“Thank you Krem,”  He reclined in his chair with ease, He watched her for a moment,

“You don’t wear this sort of thing often do you?”  he asked, Katari, shook her head,

“No. Is it  _ that _ obvious?” she asked, she had nothing to fidget with without her cloak.  Krem shook his head,

“You look uncomfortable, that’s all,” Katari looked down at herself again, 

“It’s not that I don’t like them,” she said, “I mean they’re lovely just…” 

“Not on me?” finished Krem with a dry smile, he huffed out a chuckle. Katari nodded. “Yeah, I know the feeling,” he said. There was a moment of silence between them- they both seemed to be thinking. Krem snapped out of his reverie, “Too girly?” he said with a wrinkle of his nose, Katari smiled, 

“Too girly.” she agreed, she remembered a red gown that had lied on Josephine’s bed “I mean I like the whole dress thing. I just prefer something a little more… womanly I suppose,” Krem smiled at her, Katari rubbed her face, “I’m sorry Krem, I imagine you didn’t want to talk about  _ clothes  _ of all things,” she said suddenly feeling very foolish. Krem waved her off,

“Nah, that kind of stuff is important,”  he said. Reassured, Katari continued,

“I just can’t help but feel like I don’t  _ belong  _ in them, I mean when’s the last time you saw a qunari in a dress?” she asked,  _ all this emotion and she hadn’t even touched the liquor  _ she thought. 

“When Bull got drunk during Saturnalia two years ago,” deadpanned Krem, Katari let out a startled laugh at the image, Krem smiled, “we found out  _ many  _ things that night, other than Chief’s love of pink,” Sobriety crossed his features, he reached out and touched her shoulder, “when I said you looked lovely, I meant it,” he said, Katari smiled bashfully murmuring a ‘thank you’ under her breath, “and I know I'm not the only one who thinks so,” he said, Katari looked up in alarm, Krem gestured to the other side of the room, Katari turned her gaze in that direction, flushing a bright red when she saw Sera and Blackwall sharing a table, both with their eyes on her. Even her ears were turning pink. Sera gave her a bold once over mouthing ‘nice’ at her from across the  room, Blackwall’s mustache twitched as he raised his tankard to her. Slowly, Katari turned back around, Krem was chuckling, “you see?” he asked.

Krem handed her a bowl of stew and a spoon, he sat down. Whilst Katari was tucking in, Krem thought of a way to word himself. “Katari?” he asked, she looked up from her bowl “When I was at the bar earlier- I,” he leaned forward on his knees “...I overheard what had happened earlier,” 

“Oh,” said Katari, unsure how to respond. Krem frowned, 

“I’m sorry,” he said “I mean it happened right outside,” he said, Katari thought she saw something glistening in his eyes, “How did we not know? I mean it was happening right outside-” Katari gently cut him off, 

“I could go for a joint,” she said reaching for her cloak, she paused as she stood, “you coming?” Krem nodded, wiping his eye, 

“Yeah. yeah, I could go for one too,”  he followed her outside.

They stood on the battlements is the cool evening air. Katari passed him her spliff, Krem nodded his thanks, raising it to his lips and inhaling before passing it back, he closed his eyes. Letting the high hit him as he exhaled,

“This is nice,” he said “gentle, what is it?” Katari puffed out a breath of smoke, 

“Secret recipe,” she said with a grin “though it’s mostly elfroot,” they enjoyed a comfortable silence, passing the blunt back and forth between them,

“My father used to smoke,” said Krem, passing it over to Katari,

“Yeah?” she asked, he nodded

“Tobacco though. When times weren’t too rough,” he said. They talked a while about Tevinter, she was curious about it. They chuckled at the scenario, a Tal-Vashoth and an ex-soldier of the Tevinter army sharing a joint in Ferelden. There was a moment of silence,

“I wasn’t born a man.” he said “I suppose I’m still not one really. When the army found out I fled, I had lied on military documents.” he accepted the blunt again, it was a silent offer to continue. “They caught me in a tavern near the border, they were going to make an example of me, I suppose.” he passed it back, “Bull saved me. Lost his eye in the process- caught on a soldiers flail,” Katari paused,

“That explains how you manage to get such a close shave,” she said, raising the dull glow to her face. Krem chuckled,

“I figured it wouldn’t bother you. Bull doesn’t really care either,” he said, Katari shrugged.

“The Qun’s attitude towards gender is very different from the rest of Thedas. Genders are assigned to roles if you aren’t born into the gender that matches your profession they just switch it to match. It’s not perfect but, heh what is? And the Tal-Vashoth don’t really give a fuck,” Krem laughed at that, “Seems a rather trivial matter when you’re being hunted all the time,” she said. Krem ran a hand through his hair, 

“So when I heard about what happened I-” he exhaled again before meeting her eyes, “I’m sorry I didn’t come to help when you were being made an example of,” Katari softened, 

“Krem, you-” before she could finish however  _ Cullen  _ approached them,

“Katari! I’ve been looking for you everywhere, I only just found out what happened,” the Commander looked like he hadn’t slept in days- which knowing him was very likely- 

“It’s quite alright Cullen,” said Katari, the Commander nodded.

 

The two of them were sat in Cullen’s office. Both of them feeling quite out of place as the commander rearranged papers on his desk, feeling rather like naughty school children after being caught smoking a joint out on the Battlements. The Commander sat down in his chair, running a hand over his styled curls. 

“I know you said not to do anything after I heard what the soldiers where saying- but I wish I had, I wish I had never allowed for it to escalate this far,”  Krem was suppressing a giggle, everything seemed funny to him right now even though he knew how serious all this was. Katari seemed barely affected,

“I handled it, commander, it is over with,” she said, Cullen sighed.

“Handled it? I need to do  _ something _ , I can’t have my soldiers running around and attacking people,” he said, he accepted a letter from a messenger, tapping them on the arm before they left,

“Could you send Sergeant Brooker up here?” he asked, the messenger frowned,

“Haven’t you heard sir? Brooker is in the infirmary,” expressions of shock crossed all three of their faces,

“What happened?” asked Cullen in alarm, No one had noticed Bull at the door,

“He fell down a set of stairs,” said Bull grimly, everyone turned to face him, his posture was rigid, Cullen frowned in confusion, 

“He fell down some steps?” asked Cullen, that would rarely land someone in the infirmary. Krem flickered his gaze down to the blood on Bull’s knuckles- no one else seemed to notice, 

“It was a very  _ long _ set of stairs,” said Bull.

  
  



	29. a morning stroll

The ride to the Storm Coast was awkward, everyone seemed to dance around Katari unsure what to say- everyone save for Solas that is.

“You should have come to me immediately, If it wasn’t for Bull’s timing- your injuries could have gotten much worse,” The rain was pouring heavily on them now, their horse’s hooves splashing as the trotted through the hillsides. Katari sighed, she knew he meant well but Katari hadn’t wanted to break the unspoken rule of no drinking before noon and his lecture was beginning to wear down on her,

“I didn’t want to trouble you Solas. I’ve had worse before,” she said, water was trickling down over her hood- it was close to soaking through. Solas Turned in his saddle, a look of realization crossing his features,

“Were you even planning on coming to see me at all?” he asked looking her in the eyes, tugging his reins to the left to avoid a boulder, the moment of silence told him everything he needed to know,

“You weren’t were you?” he asked. Katari hesitated before softly saying,

“No,” she said before clicking her tongue and riding ahead alongside Blackwall instead, 

Solas frowned, remembering what she had said to him in the mountains,  _ valuable lessons every one of them… I have many yet to earn.  _ Was this all that was to her, a lesson? Do I lesson in what other than taking a beating? He wondered how many fewer scars she’d have if she had approached others for help in the past,  _ what had she hoped to achieve from letting her wounds fester?  _ He thought, or perhaps it was him.  _ Would she have approached Dorian?  _ The thought made him grow tense, would she really rather seek help from a magister than him? Was he so unapproachable? 

 

“Don’t mind him,” said Blackwall gently, Katari looked at him from under her hood, “He means well,” Katari nodded,

“I know,” she said Softly. Blackwall straightened his posture, He beard and hair was soaked from the rain,

“If you don’t mind me saying milady. you looked lovely last night,” Katari didn’t think that her cheeks had ever felt this hot before. Solas’ ear twitched, at the statement, he patted his horse’s neck, he suddenly felt uncomfortable- like he was listening in on something that should be private. It was no secret that the warden was sweet on her. A Sharp whistle from Evelyn drew their attention, 

“Oi, Lovebirds! Eyes on the road!” Katari jumped, her hood sliding wetly from her head. Groaning when her hair got saturated.

 

Solas could not take his eyes of her ears- they were bright pink, flushed from both the cold and embarrassment- downturned in a display of her mood. All elves’ ears twitched and reacted to sound, it was an action as uncontrollable as blinking. The way Katari’s reflected her emotions, however… It was not common even in his time- heard of yes but not common. It was considered a desirable trait back then, not so much for court members (they gave away too much) but for lovers well… there was pleasure in anything being so responsive. Solas felt the blood rising into his own cheeks at the thought, it was wrong to think of Katari that way, she was after all so young and a  _ qunari.  _ He felt shame at the thought,  _ had he really sunken so low?  _ He was just a man he supposed, it wasn’t unnatural to think of such things but still,  _ to get so riled up over ears  _ he thought  _ I’m a fool.  _

 

“Thank you, Blackwall,” said Katari- not even bothering to put her hood back on now since both her head and her hood was soaked. Titan snorted, impatient to get moving, she smiled down at him, stretching an arm to stroke his forehead, he nickered quietly.  Blackwall watched her for a moment, observing how she was once again wearing her brown leathers; it had been nice to see her in a skirt. 

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” said Blackwall, Katari rose a brow,

“Oh?” she said slipping a little in her wet saddle, he paused for a moment,

“At Haven,” he said “When you were helping Flissa escape… you lifted a support beam, it was three times your size,” Everyone was listening in. “How did you do it?” he asked.  _ Had it really been that big?  _ Thought Katari, she couldn’t remember- it wasn’t the sort of thing you thought of when there was a dragon attacking after all. She had heard of the haze some qunari felt in battle, an insatiable bloodlust and unbelievable strength and speed, not unlike dwarven berserkers from what she had heard. This haze was the reason many qunari believed that they needed to be controlled by the qun- that they were more like animals than any other of the races. Katari, of course, believed that to be complete bullshit but perhaps that is what she had done? Was that the haze? 

 

Evelyn too was intrigued by this, she knew Qunari were strong but she had always assumed it was because of their size, perhaps there was more to it than that? As she listened, however, she began to feel that horrible sensation of being watched, she slowed her horse to a stop, lifting her hand to halt the others. 

 

They were traveling down a narrow path between two inclines, the rain running down them and pooling where they rode. Blackwall rose upright in his stirrups to scan their surroundings, Cursing when he realized how exposed they were. The rain continued to hammer down on them, the dirt beneath them turning into a thick mud. Katari reached for her daggers only to grab the reins in surprise when titan began to circle and stomp his hooves, whinnying. She patted his neck, shushing him gently. Blackwall’s eyes widened as he saw the glint of an arrowhead from the trees,

“Bandits!” he bellowed just before they poured from the trees.

 

“I-Fucking-hate-bandits!” shouted Evelyn, punctuating each word with a swing of her hammer. Blackwall chuckled despite the situation, he and Evelyn were standing back to back. 

“Aye,” he said, swinging his shield into an incomer's face. “Maker’s Balls!” he said, nearly failing to block the swing of a sword.

 

Katari and Solas’ conversation was somewhat civilized in comparison,

“Something has occurred to me solas,” said Katari, dodging and arrow. Solas was throwing up a barrier,

“Oh?” he said, he spun his staff around his head, grinning when it inadvertently his one in the chest, Katari slashed a man’s throat, narrowly missing the spray of blood,

“Where are the mages?” she asked,  Solas frowned  _ he hadn’t seen a single mage yet  _ “I mean there is always an apostate or two in bandit clans,” she said, 

“Indeed, it is rather peculiar,” he said sending a bolt of energy at an attacker, Katari shook her head, 

“I don’t like this Solas- something’s not right,”  there was probably only twelve left. Solas raised his staff- ready to slam it into the ground when out of nowhere a Bandit _smited_ him.


	30. In which things get worse than usual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari and Solas wake up somewhere unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta da! a lot happens in this chapter, I hope you enjoy it! thank you so much for your compliments and criticisms, it really helps me to write more! as always I am open to suggestions!

Evelyn wiped sweat from her brow, 

“Did we get all of them?” she asked, leaning on her staff- tired and of breath. Blackwall forced out a chuckle, 

“We’re not fighting anymore are we?” he said, Evelyn let out a breathy laugh,

“We’re not dead everybody!” she whooped “Maker! Where did they all come from!” she asked, “I’ve never seen bandits attack in a group so large!” Blackwall nodded in agreement,

“Aye. It is certainly odd,” he said crouching down beside a corpse, “Who do you think were?”, he fumbled through the bandit’s pockets, pulling out a bottle of lyrium. He frowned, looking for a staff on the ground yet seeing none, 

“Trevelyan!” he said, chucking to bottle to her, “catch,” she did. Frowning too at it,

“This Lyrium is pure. Worth a half a sovereign at least. Where did they get it?” she asked no one in particular, the thumbed the bottle in confusion. “Solas! Come take a look at this would you?” she called, sighing when she got no response, “Solas!” she called again, Blackwall was tapping her shoulder in an effort to get their attention,

“Evelyn,” she turned to face him- brows furrowed,

“What is it?” she asked. Blackwall’s face was pale,

“They’re gone,” he said “Katari and Solas. They’re gone,” 

“Ah fuck,”

 

***

Solas hissed as he awoke, He was lying on a wooden floor strewn with hay, and were it not for the fact that he was very likely concussed he would have sworn that the walls were  _ swaying.  _ There was a strange tug at his side, blinking in confusion when he noticed Katari was beside him, stitching up a particularly nasty gash at his ribs,

“We’re on a ship. After that smite, we were knocked unconscious and taken here- I assume,” she said, nimble fingers tying off the thread, “I am sorry- I don’t know how to heal you,” Solas winced both in pain and in embarrassment,  _ How had he been captured so easily?  _  “As far as I know, Blackwall and Evelyn are safe. Better yet I don’t think they knew who we were,” she said, rolling his tunic back down over his rib.

“Thank you,” said Solas looking down at the surprisingly neat stitches. Her cloak was gone he noticed- as were their weapons and belongings. “How do you know?” he asked, Katari spared a glance to the barred window in the door,

“I can hear some of the crew above us, they talk a lot.” she backed away from him, leaning against the wall with a wince, her hand went to her side. Solas rose forward in alarm,

“You’re injured,” he said, extending a hand to her with the intention of healing her when he remembered that he couldn’t. He felt sick all of a sudden, now knowing why everything had felt so muted after he awoke, his magic was gone.  _ The smite,  _ he thought dumbly. How had it lasted so long? “A man came by to smite you every few hours,” explained Katari. Solas cursed softly in elvish under his breath. 

“How bad is the wound?” he asked, she shrugged.

“Bruising mostly- I don’t think there is anything internal,” she said before her brows furrowed “what I want to know is how bandits- if they are even that- learned how to smite,” Solas nodded- that was indeed a concern, Templars were troublesome enough as it was. 

 

The sound of creaking stairs had both their ears twitching in apprehension, Katari reached for something on the floor, curiously Solas’ eyes followed the movement. Her hand returned with a long iron nail in its grasp,

“What are you planning?” he asked as the footsteps got louder,

“I’m just going to get information- there is no point trying to escape just yet, we must be out to sea by now,” she said. Solas nodded in agreement.  _ She has a sharp mind  _ he thought to himself, not many bothered to be so observant. Vigilance came from a life on the road- he knew that from his own travels. “Pretend to be unconscious!” she whispered, he leaned back against the wall and shut his eyes- he assumed she was doing the same. 

“Gah!” Solas opened his eyes at the sound, a wry grin creeping up to his lips when he saw that she had the man’s arms locked behind his back and the nail at his jugular. It was amusing to see a man so large being restrained by someone so small in comparison. Katari looked surprisingly at ease- not calm per se, she appeared too analytical for that but unthreatened nonetheless.

“What’s your name?” she asked, Solas rose a brow.  _ A technique  _ he noted  _ a sense of familiarity could make one appear either more threatening or trustworthy.  _ She pressed the nail a little firmly against his skin, the man appeared to think,

“Fletcher,” he said, 

“Fletcher,” she said “Now if you would be so kind as to introduce me to your captain, I would be most grateful,” there was a politeness in her voice that Solas was entirely sure was false or genuine.  She slowly walked them out of the door, throwing Solas a glance over her shoulder,

“I’ll be back in a moment,” 

 

Luckily for Katari the crew seemed to value their comrade enough for her to captain’s cabin with relative ease, she was subject to a few harsh glares but that was to be expected. She released Fletcher once inside, he scuttled out of the door like a mouse from a trap. She turned her gaze to the figure stood behind the desk, a tall clean-shaven man with greying hair tied back from his face. In another situation, he might have appeared quite pleasant but there was a calculating nature in his eyes that most would find unsettling, he seemed surprised at the scene before him.

“The Captain I presume?” He looked at the qunari woman who addressed him, taking in her collected stance and placing his hands behind his back,

“Indeed. Although I am unused to my prisoners paying me a visit- forgive me if my cabin is in a state,” he said in a wide mocking gesture- there was an educated lilt to his voice, it stood out from his crew.  He placed a hand upon the hilt of his sword, holstered at his side.

“I’d like to know why we are imprisoned- I can’t remember pissing  _ you  _ off in the past,” She said with an arched brow. the two regarded each other for a moment, recognizing a mutual intelligence in one another. The captain idly traced the map in front of him with his free hand,

“Oh, it’s not personal. It’s business,” he said, Katari’s eyes followed the length of his arm to where his fingers rested on the map,

“Ah,” she said “Tevinter.  A slaver then?”, the man seemed to ponder for a moment,

“From time to time,” he said. The was a maddening familiarity in the way that he held himself, Katari hummed in realization,

“And pray tell, How does an Anderfel Templar get involved with the slave trade?” she asked, her politeness a frail mask to keep the ice from her voice- only her eyes betraying a coldness. “It is Anderfel? I’m guessing from your accent,” it made sense now.  _ He taught his crew  _ she thought in regards to the smite from earlier. A sinister nature behind his own eyes met hers,

“It is. A clever little thing aren’t you? You’ll sell for  _ even  _ more than I had thought,” he seemed to say the last part to himself as if he was already calculating his profits. “I was lucky to get a mage- I had hoped for greater numbers. Now you. You are a rare find indeed. Do you know how many Tevinters  _ long  _ for a qunari? As a pet or to prove a point? That clever head on your shoulders will only up your value,” Katari snorted in amusement despite it all- it was the not often a human called her  _ valuable _ .  __ “Got a pretty face on you too,” he said,

“Are you this complementary to your slaves?” she snarked, he shot her a dark glance

“Only the profitable ones,” he said, casually sitting down in his chair- popping open a vial of lyrium and swallowing its contents.

“They pay in lyrium I assume?” she asked, he nodded. 

“Half and half. can only spend tevinter gold in so many places,” he said, 

“I wouldn’t know,” Katari deadpanned. His chuckle was like boots crushing snail shells, The man sure loved to talk, 

“You know you can’t run right? There is nowhere for you to go,” he said putting his boots up his desk, 

“I know,” said Katari “Now if you don’t mind I’m returning to the brig,” 

 

Solas, got to his feet when the door swung open. Katari walked in as a guard locked it behind her, she appeared unharmed.

“Katari!” he said relieved, he waited for the guard to go before asking “what did you learn?” 

“A fair deal. They’re slavers- or at least partly, I believe they are smuggling a great deal into Tevinter,” she said sitting down on the floor. Solas froze  _ Slavers?  _ He thought  _ I slept for a millennia to be captured by Slavers?!  _ A quiet rage was building up at the irony of it all. He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing before sinking to the ground too. “The captain used to be a Templar- he no doubt taught his abilities to his crew. we are the only ones, they were expecting more,”  she explained.  _ This both works for and against us  _ he thought  _ they will want us alive but it will be harder to provoke them.  _ He was glad however that they were the only ones- that there weren’t a dozen elves and children oh this ship with them, 

“Do you know where we are?” he asked,  getting out the brig was no problem but they needed an escape plan that didn’t leave them stranded in the middle of the ocean. 

“We are still in Ferelden waters; we haven’t been aboard that long. They will slow once we are in international waters as the likelihood of being intercepted by the Ferelden navy will decrease,” she said, Solas hummed in thought. 

“The chances of being able to flag a ship for help diminished once we leave but they will become more relaxed,” he said. Katari nodded,

“I say we wait- the stunt I just pulled will have them on edge. Let them get lazy- after we get rid of the crew we can wait for a passing ship and signal for help,” Solas would be lying if he said that he wasn’t reveling in the challenge- Katari seemed to have a decent grasp of strategy too. He quirked a brow,

“ _ When?  _ Rather confident aren’t we?” he said amused, Katari didn’t come across as the cocky type. Katari breathed out a chuckle

“The crew I’m not worried about- it’s the captain which worries me,” she said “He appears to be a sickeningly intelligent man,” Solas chuckled,

“Smart men seem all the more wicked don’t they?” he asked, Katari seemed to agree.

“He knows better and is capable of being rich of other means,” she said “educated evil is worse than ignorance- it requires apathy,” she said.  _ Eloquently put.  _ Thought Solas to himself. 

 

Katari was asleep, Solas had agreed to be on watch and it pained him that he couldn’t peak into her dreams when he had the opportunity but it would be unwise to leave them both vulnerable. She stirred, He watched in fascination as her ears twitched in her sleep-seemingly a reflection of what she currently dreamed;  _ curiosity, confusion, intrigue.   _ What a young thing she was- not only in body but in spirit, eager and enthusiastic to learn. He missed the days when he could have that fire untainted by duty and wisdom. Youth was a commodity among his people- if only the quicklings learned to value it as such. He frowned as they continued to move- unease, anticipation- shock. She murmured as she awoke, her eyes flickering open and laying still for a moment. Solas watched in silence as she slowly sat up, she glanced at the floor as if trying to figure out what to say, she looked at him pointedly- her face like stone.

“Solas,” the pause was deafening, “I think you’ve neglected to tell me something”

 


	31. quite the predicament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas and Katari have a little chat.

_ She stirred, He watched in fascination as her ears twitched in her sleep-seemingly a reflection of what she currently dreamed;  curiosity, confusion, intrigue.   What a young thing she was- not only in body but in spirit, eager and enthusiastic to learn. He missed the days when he could have that fire untainted by duty and wisdom. Youth was a commodity among his people- if only the quicklings learned to value it as such. He frowned as they continued to move- unease, anticipation- shock. She murmured as she awoke, her eyes flickering open and laying still for a moment. Solas watched in silence as she slowly sat up, she glanced at the floor as if trying to figure out what to say, she looked at him pointedly- her face like stone. _

_ “Solas,” the pause was deafening, “I think you’ve neglected to tell me something” _

 

_ \--- _

 

Her dreams were becoming more intense as of late- she wondered if it was to do with the breach- The black-haired woman had appeared so often that Katari would have been able to pick her from a crowd with a single glance at their shoes alone. Yet- for the first time in weeks, the lady did not appear before her. She saw nothing at first, instead, she was greeted by sound. A cacophony that was all the more deafening in the blackness. There was not a voice but many; thousands perhaps, laughing, talking and whispering, muffled by some unseeable barrier. The shadows swung back to form a grand set of doors- opening from nowhere. Out from the entrance fell a golden light, revealing a hall the size of Haven. She walked past the invisible footmen that had shown her the scene, nodding at them in thanks nonetheless.  _ They liked that.  _ Her steps were unsteady and her eyes were open wide, the nowhere she could have been if not Arlathan. 

 

The air was rich and heavy with the scent of wine, so potent that one need not even drink of it; they could grow intoxicated by the fumes alone. The light was near blinding as it bounced off all the walls, their sheen as luminous as mirrors and their hue reminiscent of gold. The elves were oblivious to her as she stepped past their shimmering forms. The man on the couch at the side, eating grapes from the fingers of two giggling girls, the ones with June’s Vasillin. The woman chilling her glass with a touch of her finger. The girl who pursued and a laughing boy with a heeled shoe in his hands. Not one of them was aware of her- they never were.  She took it all in with awe- she had stood atop mountain ranges and had felt less agoraphobic- and yet there was niggling feeling in the back of her mind, it hummed when she saw the delicate chokers at the two girls neck, pretty and tasteful if they had not faintly reminded her of the collars on an Orlesian lapdog. From nowhere she was struck by the sudden urge to turn around, she did so her eyes flickering to follow. 

 

Across the hall, leaning a golden collum stood a young man, his head was turned to speak to someone a few feet away. His hair flowed down in ruddy ropes, tied back from his face so that it revealed that the sides of his head had been shaved bare. A curious silver-capped animal skull was upon his forehead, two red ropes thread through its eye sockets to keep it in place.  He nursed a chalice of wine, he idly swirled it in his hand. Looking down at it in disdain, from this angle you could see a youthful fullness to his upper lip and the nobility in the arch of his cheekbones. There was a sound behind her- the doors were opening as everyone got to their feet. Katari, however, did not move, her legs seeming to have forgotten how for eyes she found herself staring into she had seen before, minutes before she had fallen asleep. 

 

***

Solas’ quirked a brow, 

“Oh?” he said. He said it as if his mouth had not run dry, as if his heart was not pounding in his chest. The pupils of her eyes had vanished into pinpricks, leaving only  bloody red blots in the center of her alarmingly silver stare, 

“I was in a grand golden hall,” she said, in a voice as soft as falcon feathers. “The air so heady with wine you could get drunk from it alone,” a chilly finger ran up his spine. “There were Elves there- taller than any I’d ever seen. I never knew you were a redhead Solas,”  there was a stillness between them,

“Not many do,”  he said. They were both analyzing one another, the tension heavy and tangible in the air. She didn’t move, 

“How old are you?” she asked. It odd to him that she chose that as her first question- she did not seem afraid, only unsure.  _ Whatever she had seen, it had not told her everything. Otherwise, she would not be asking questions.  _ He thought,

“I’ve lost count,” he said, eyes fixed on hers.  _ What will she do?  _ There was a fragment of emotion behind her gaze, although he could not tell what it was. There was another pause,

“How are you alive?” she asked. even now, presented with the impossible she had questions. For some reason he told her the truth, wanting to know her reaction to the truth.

“I was asleep-  I awoke to a world very different from the one I left,” the same emotion from before returned to her features, and the words she spoke through him. Rattled him to his core,

“I am sorry,” she said. The breath was chased from his lungs.  _ How could she look upon him, and the first thing she felt was empathy?  _ He swallowed dryly. 

“I have no intention of harming you- not if you have no intention of harming me,” he said, the hand he extended was a risk- she might have bitten it had she known the  _ whole  _ truth. She was silent for a moment longer,

“My sentiment is the same. It extends to the inquisition,” she said, she stood before an immortal and said that is if she could not die.  He was growing more relaxed, leaning back against the brig wall,

“I don’t want to harm the Inquisition,” and that was true too. He would if it came to it but he didn’t  _ want _ to. “I want my secret to remain secret- I will protect it if necessary” he  warned, respect swept into her features as well as understanding, 

“It is not mine to tell,” she finally said “provided that it is never necessary for the others to know- they will not,” There was still a tenseness in her but Curiosity burned there too. She wanted to  _ learn _ . He nodded,

“Thank you,” he said, for some reason he believed her. 

“You did not lie to me. You merely omitted the truth.” she said quietly “And I cannot judge you when I am guilty of the same,” His gaze snapped back to her.  _ What?  _ She rose a brow, “Not quite as… profound as yours mind. I know something about you that no one else knows- it is only fair I even the field.” she paused to word herself, “I have no memories beyond the last year and a half- I don’t know who I am, or where I’m from. The Valo-kas found me dying in the snow,” 

He was awestruck at it all- He had the memories of an age while she had little more than babes. How was it the two of them had wound up here- in a world barely either of them knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it felt cruel to leave you hanging after an ending like that!


	32. the bliss of a thunderstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas and Katari break free and take the ship for themselves.

 

It was a two days later when Katari looked up at Solas with the ghost of a smile upon her face and said,

“Today is the day,” she said, Solas rose a brow. 

“Really? But we were having such a  _ lovely  _ time,” he said, Katari mimicked his expression. 

“Sarcasm Solas? Didn’t know you had it in you,” she said as she stretched. 

“There is a lot you don’t know about me,” he said shrugging slightly, 

“There is a lot I don’t know about  _ me _ . You are not a special case, Solas,” she quipped as she rose to her feet, pausing for a moment before extending her hand to him, he accepted it. Allowing her to help him from the ground- he didn’t need it of course. It was an unspoken question;  _ friends?   _ Her company had been more pleasant than he expected- as her questions seemed endless. In return, she told him all he wanted to know about the Tal-Vashoth.   _ It means ‘true grey ones’?  _ He had asked, he was surprised that they willingly called themselves that as it sounded like a derogatory term to him. She had nodded,  _ yes _ she had said  _ The ones born outside the Qun are known as ‘Vashoth’ or simply ‘the grey ones’.  _ It had been a pleasant exchange of Knowledge and without the burden of one of his many secrets, he had felt more carefree than he had in centuries. She knew him as Solas, not the Dread Wolf. Not as the apostate from the inquisition. Slaver’s ship be damned- he was liberated. 

 

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” he asked. They had been sitting idle for days and it could be hard to jump back into action. She rolled her shoulders, taking her position behind the door and smirking, 

“Are  _ you _ up for this old man?”  she asked, He raised his brows,

“Name calling? How very mature of you,” he said, Katari merely shrugged,

“What did you expect? I’m only a year old,” she said. Solas chuckled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I should have expected that,” he said. 

“Indeed you should have,” she said. 

 

Katari had snapped the guard's neck as soon as he’d stepped through the door. As the two looked down at the body they observed that he must have been a rogue, too iron daggers sat at his hips, a bow and quiver on his back, 

“Which would you prefer?” she asked. Solas’ frowned, mentally kicking himself when he realized that he couldn't use his magic. He bent down,

“I’ll take the bow,” he said, swinging the quiver over his shoulders and testing out the bowstring, Katari seemed somewhat surprised, 

“Are you a decent shot?” she asked, Solas smiled to himself as if he was amused.

“I’m not bad for an Old man,” he said, Katari shook her head. “It has been a while though,” he mused aloud. Katari leaned out the door, looking for other guards.

“Let’s test that aim of yours,” 

 

An arrow  _ whooshed _ past her, narrowly missing her cheek and implanting itself in a slaver’s chest. Katari let out a startled laugh as a second shot past her, 

“Not bad my arse!” she laughed as she deflected a swing from a swordsman. Solas smirked, it was oddly satisfying to wield a bow again even though he grieved the temporary loss of his magic. He felt young and cocky again under such praise, proving that he was capable of much more than spells. The noise had attracted attention from the upper deck, thundering footsteps echoed from the stairs. Katari pushed a man in the path of his arrow, he smiled- surprised at her timing. Even as more slaver’s appeared they remained in a steady rhythm, He picking off approaching enemies from the back, Katari taking out any that got too close. There were twelve corpses when they were finished. Katari was crouched looting their pockets. 

“Lyrium Solas?” she said offering out several vials to him. He swaggered over, the post-fight energy thrumming through him- how satisfying it had been to fight with his physical strength alone, his ego was moderately inflated.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said, accepting them from her. She picked up a coin purse, weighing it in her hands before pocketing it. They continued on their way.

 

They crept towards a small room at the starboard side of the ship, Katari peeked around the doorframe before chuckling, Solas raised a brow

“What is it?” he asked, furrowing his brows when Katari straightened and  _ walked  _ into the room. Bewildered he followed her, several men were passed out on the table,

“They drank my qunari liquor,” she laughed, picking up her flask from a limp hand. “Human tolerance isn’t as high as ours,” Solas smiled shaking his head, it was rather amusing. Katari approached the first man, 

“I hate to kill defenseless men,” she said, placing her hands on his neck “But the slaves they took were also defenseless,”  she said wringing it. Solas walked to another man,

“Indeed,”  after they finished them Katari walked over to a chest in the corner,

“Ah ha!” she said, pulling out her cloak with a flourish. She tossed Solas’s staff over to him, he caught it deftly, fingers curling over the familiar surface. The rest of their belongings seemed to be there too- all but one. Solas saw Katari’s face drop, He tilted his head,

“Are you alright?” he asked, walking over to her. Katari forced a smile onto her face,

“It is nothing. One of my knives is missing- it was given to me by a friend,” she said. Solas frowned, unable to imagine how valuable such a thing could be when you had only a year's worth of memories. 

“We’ll find it,” he said.

 

They made it onto the deck, both of them greedily inhaling the fresh sea air. Solas shot down the man in the crows nest. The man flailing as the smacked wetly onto the deck. Just as he was about to draw another arrow from his quiver he felt something. A pulse resonating deep within him- his magic was back. He exchanged his bow from his staff instead, spinning it idly in his hands as several more men approached, his grin was cocky. Katari looked at him, recognition flooding her features as she realized, she smiled. 

“Katari!” he called, still spinning. “Want to see what I can do?” he slammed his staff onto the floor; from it burst a storm of flames, engulfing the whole deck incinerating everyone but he and her. Katari stretched out a hand in awe- the flames didn’t even feel warm to her.  

“How did you do that?” she asked as the flames slowly flickered, Solas merely brushed of a spec of ash from his shoulders.

“Centuries of practice and a basic fire spell,” he said, the sudden return of his magic was like a high, the combination of adrenaline, power, and pride was intoxicating. It felt so good to use his magic to its full capabilities at last. He swept an arm towards the captains' cabin,

“Shall we?”   

 

***

Zevran’s Knife had been on the Captain, Solas eyes had widened as Katari lunged for w=him after he had revealed it in his grasp. It was a small thing he noticed; about the length of a finger span, the only notable thing about it was that the ivory handle had been carved into a crows head. It had taken a while to finish the man off too- he must have guzzled a  dozen bottles of lyrium before they got there and the man fought like a berserker. In the end, Katari had finished him off with a  _ Candlestick _ of all things, clobbering him over the head when he turned from her. It had amused Solas greatly. It took a day to dump all of the bodies into the ocean- at one point Katari had lost her grip on one while carrying it up the stairs only for it to land on Solas at the bottom of them. It was a good half hour before she’d stopped laughing. 

“We should set up some kind of signal for passing ships,” said Solas as they stood out in the Sun-  enjoying the light and fresh air they had been deprived of. Katari shrugged,

“No need,” she said pointing up at the spires of seabirds no gathering, “They’ll attract attention as they feed off the corpses- naval ships will investigate while hostile ones will avoid us… hopefully,” she said matter-of-factly, Solas rose a brow at  _ hopefully.  _ Katari scoffed,

“We’ll be fine- not even our luck is that bad. Now I don’t know about you but I’m peckish,” she said, trailing off below deck.

 

They lounged in the captain’s cabin for several days- not only did they have a whole crew’s supply of food but it seemed that the captain was fond of smuggling many other things. He had a pile of loot in the corner and a large bed with velvet cushions but most satisfactory of all were the books and food he had seemingly collected from all over Thedas; pistachios from Rivain, brandy from Antiva… it went on and on. Katari had Let Solas take the bed in exchange for all the cushions and blankets, she had piled them up onto the floor in some kind of nest to Solas’ amusement. They enjoyed themselves greatly to their surprise, Katari practiced her Antivan with a terribly written romance novel from the captain's bedside table. When she found a particularly cringey line she translated it aloud so they could both share their amusement. Solas had taught her how to play chess- she enjoyed it even though she only won when Solas was tired or distracted.  The days passed in relative bliss. 

 

Katari flung herself onto the bed next to Solas, brandishing a green bottle in her hand, holding it up to the candlelight she read,

“8: 32 Blessed,   _ Le Griffon rouge _ . Turns out that the Captain was fond of hundred-year-old wine,”  Solas Looked up from the book he’d found, Katari, handed him the bottle. He raised his eyebrows in approval, 

“A poetic name.” he mused, “I’m rather fond of red myself,” he said, thumbing the label. Katari shrugged,

“Wouldn’t know, I’ve never had wine before,” she said as Solas got off the bed. he walked over to Captain’s desk and began raking through it’s draws. His hand stilled before plucking out a corkscrew,

“We shall remedy that,” he said, tugging the cork free with an audible pop. He looked around the cabin, “a drink like this deserves a glass,” he said, his eyes were drawn to the golden pile in the corner, he waltzed over and pulled a golden chalice from the pile, Katari chuckled at his nonchalant expression as he did so. He poured as he returned to the bed, offering her the chalice, she sat up and accepted it, grasping it around the cup rather than the stem and lifted it to her lips. She was pleasantly surprised at the first sip- never before had she drank something so rich.

“It’s nice,” she said raising the cup up to her lips for another heady mouthful, chuckling as she looked up at Solas who simply drank from the bottle even after he had gone through the trouble of finding her a glass to drink from. She leaned back on her elbow,

“The red Griffon. I wonder why it’s called that?” she mused aloud, Solas picked up his book from earlier, drinking and reading while he walked the room. Solas tutted, eyes never leaving the page,

“The Orleasian’s are peculiar- even to me,” he said “I can’t begin to fathom why they name things so ostentatiously,” Katari hummed in agreement, looking down at her chalice again.

“I always found their attitude towards masks intriguing- to anyone else a mask provides anonymity but In Orlais they wear masks all the time, people are in fact recognized by their masks,” She said. Solas closed his book, nodding in thought before drinking from the bottle again. 

“I suppose,” he said “Though we all wear masks- act differently around different people. The Orleasian’s only takes their masks off around loved ones, just as we take off ours. Sometimes our Disguises are our identity,” Katari seemed to think for a moment as solas took another languid mouthful of wine. Katari rolled onto her stomach, stretching her chalice towards him.

“A refill, if you please,” Solas wordlessly walked over to do so, “A physical representation of the philosophical, perhaps… it is more likely to do with The Game of theirs. Hiding their tells and so on,” she said, Solas chuckled. 

“Probably,” he said sitting down on the floor in front of the foot of the bed. There was a moment of silence before he began,

“In my time,” he said, “There were great masquerade balls- Complete anonymity and all the pleasures that came with it. Husbands could dance with their mistresses, wives with their servants. They were a wonder to behold” Katari listened, 

“The Orleasians occupy what were once Elvhen lands- perhaps that’s where it originated?”  she said, Solas smirked. 

“They would wish that was the case,” he said, Katari curiously tilted her head. He sipped at his wine before continuing “All that time ago, Val Royeaux was little more than a group of market tents in a field. A few of the caravan guards used to fashion faces into their helmets- I think that is where it likely started.” he explained before finishing “I have no doubt that we influenced them in some way but Orleasian heritage is no more noble than the Fereldens and the Alamari,”  Katari breathed out a chuckle-

“We are all the same at the end of the day, same start, same finish- just a different journey and destination,”  she said, finishing off her wine. Her words struck him, though she did not seem to notice as she drank from the chalice.  _ Such a philosophical mind  _ he thought, she was so young and curious yet there were moments when she revealed an age to her- an old soul in a young body. She was so forgiving too, she did not resent Humanity for its misgivings,  the dwarves for their stubbornness or the Elves for their secretiveness. She did not hate the Qun or the Templars for their treatment of mages or the threat they constantly posed to her and her people-  _ how was she like that?  _ What surprised him most was her Humility, how she did not lash out when proven wrong, how she seemingly had no ego… no pride.  

“Do you Truly think so?” he asked, looking her in the eye as he drank. Katari seemed surprised at the question as if she hadn’t thought that what she said had been of any real significance. 

“I do,” she said “I am an oddity among my people and freak among others. I have learned that it is best to judge the individual rather than the group.” he listened intently as she continued, not sure why he felt a pang at her words was it- empathy or shame? “And no matter what, people always want the same things,” she said, eyes glazing over as if her mind was far away. Solas let out a breath, 

“Oh?” he asked softly, Her eyes fluttered, shifting to meet his.

“Love, purpose, comfort, a place and people to call our own- we are all but children in a thunderstorm,”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta da! hope you enjoyed it- it turned out much longer than I intended, I just had so much fun writing it! Feedback is always welcome as are suggestions!


	33. fancy seeing you here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas and Katari are rescued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter- I certainly did!

Solas blinked as Katari got to her feet- she had insisted on taking off her shoes to his surprise when she was in the cabin. Picking up the now empty bottle of wine and hopping to put her boots back on.

“Where are you going?” he asked, she smiled.

“I’m going out onto the deck- I’m starting to understand the meaning of cabin fever,” she said, heading for the door, “Come out with me if you wish- the light is better for reading outside anyway” Solas nodded and padded out after her.

 

The light was almost blinding at first- the light into the cabin had been half blocked out by heavy curtains and it took a moment to adjust. Katari closed her eyes, soaking up the warmth for a moment, _Qunari do not burn in the sun_ she had told him a few days prior. _Heat barely effects us generally-  though I actually prefer things a bit on the cooler side._ He had frowned, remembering how he had turned a horrible shade of red when he had been in the western approach- it hardly seemed fair.

“It is a pity we are so far out at sea,” said Katari as she approached the rigging “I am rather fond of swimming,” she swung out onto the stanchion, causing Solas to jump in alarm as he saw her hanging so precariously over the water- a single hand in the rigging the only thing to stop her if she was to fall.

“It is a good thing you're so keen-  for you will be swimming very soon if you down get down from that ledge,” he smirked, Katari rose a brow.

“I think I will manage,” she said, swinging leisurely back and forth with the breeze. Solas leaned against the wall of the cabin,

“As if you all didn’t have short enough lifespans- you predictably seem to shorten them of your own volition,”  he said, it must have been something he said that had caused such a mischievous expression to cross her face. She swung away from the ocean to face the rigging, climbing it faster than most would have expected, Solas straightened.

“Katari, what are you doing?”  he asked, she continued climbing until she reached the fore-top. He watched in Silence wondering what she was up to. There was a rope between the mast and foremast connected to each of the crows nests- on one of which she stood upon. She smiled impishly down at him as she took off her boots,

“I don’t think you were there that night in the tavern when the others found out that I used to Travel with the orleasian circus,” she said, Solas frowned- no he'd had not. He narrowed his eyes at her, _what was she planning?_ She dropped her boots onto the deck, falling all thirty feet before landing with a thud. She began stretching. “I wasn’t a performer- doesn’t mean I didn’t learn a few things,” she said. Alarm bells were sounding in his head- his mind going into healer mode.

“Katari, whatever you plan on doing- don’t,” he said. Katari pretended not to hear him, stepping towards the ledge, pointing a foot so it sat atop the slightly slack rope. His eyes widened, as she slowly walked with her arms outstretched onto the rope.

“Katari!” he called in alarm.  The rope dipped under her weight in a slight V- she seemed unfazed, toeing the line back and forth, forth and backward. Solas heart was beating rapidly in his chest yet he could not move or say anything, so mesmerized, was he. She took a deep breath in concentration as the slowly crouched with one leg outstretched forward gripping the rope between her big toes. Her arms gripped the rope behind her, slowly she lowered herself down so that she lay against the dipped rope like it was a hammock- hands gripping behind her head. He watched in both awe and fear as she let one leg swing down, were it not for the tension in her arms she would have looked quite relaxed.

 

Solas outstretched an arm and cast a barrier a few feet beneath her like a net- it wouldn’t do well for her to fall to her death in a spur-of-the-moment tightrope performance. He didn’t want to imagine explaining that to the inquisitor or the Iron bull for that matter. She turned her head slightly to look at him- smiling in thanks, the toes of her dangling leg brushing the barrier ever so lightly. There she sat like a little white cloud, quite at place against the blue backdrop of the sky. Taking a deep breath she turned, allowing her body to swing under the rope- hanging like a vine on a branch. Solas raised the barrier higher, gently she lowered herself onto it, letting go of the rope. Hand outstretched- Solas lowered her safely to the ground, pausing for a moment in awe. _At that moment she had trusted that barrier completely; she hadn’t doubted it in his ability to deliver her safely onto the deck._ He straightened himself,

“That was very impressive,” he confessed with a sigh- he really shouldn’t encourage such recklessness, “though I am not sure why you did it,” Katari shrugged,

“To see if I could still do it I suppose- It’s funny it really wasn’t that long ago but to me, it seems…” she trailed off,

“A lifetime ago?” he said, Katari smiled a bittersweet smile,

“Exactly,”

 

***

Fenris grumbled, dodging the sailors who dashed around the deck,

“Good morning Fenris!” called Isabella all too cheerfully from the quarterdeck. She was at the wheel wearing what Fenris considered to be the most ridiculous hat he had ever seen. “A Sailor’s morning is an early one! I’m surprised you didn’t know,” she said, Fenris frowned up at her.

“I am **not** a sailor!” he said “Unless you’ve forgotten,” The Rivaini rolled her eyes,

“Yes, yes I know. Hawke still in bed?” she asked, taking out her compass- from maker knows where- and sparing it a glance.

“Why do you let _him_ sleep in?”  he asked, grumbling as a sailor bumped into him. Isabela chuckled,

“Because he bought me a _ship._ He can sleep all he wants,” she said, lovingly caressing the wheel in front of her. Fenris sighed, knowing he was getting nowhere. Isabela’s love of her ship _almost_ rivaled Varric’s love of Bianca- almost.

“We’ve found another one!” their attention was drawn to the quartermaster- Maraas, the Tal Vashoth mercenary from Kirkwall all those years ago- who pointed to the rotting corpse that was being pulled onto the deck. Fenris furrowed his brows,

“Another one?” asked Fenris as Isabela walked down the steps and past him, he followed after her,

“We’ve been fishing them out all night,” said Isabela, “we think there might have been a shipwreck,” she said gleefully,

“Why do you sound happy about this?” he asked incredulously, Isabela bent down beside the body- unaffected at the foul stench of salt and decay.  She spared him a look over her shoulder,

“Shipwrecks mean cargo, cargo means money,” she said, “by the way- we will be delayed for another three days,” she said, Fenris threw out his hands in exasperation.

“Vishante kaffas!” he exclaimed, Isabela shrugged.

“Coin is coin, Fenris,” she said, turning to her quartermaster “better yet- no uniforms. Which means they are not navy meaning-”

“That you won’t step on anyone's toes- I know Isabela! But getting to Skyhold is important,” he said, before Isabela could respond- a sailor called from the crow’s nest.

“Ship ahoy! Starboard horizon!” Isabela got to her feet,

“Everyone to their stations!” shouted Isabela, turning back to look at the corpse, she patted Fenris on the shoulder, “dump him back overboard and wake up Hawke would you Fenris?” she said before head back up to the quarter-deck, Fenris grumbled. _Perfect_ he thought. _Just perfect._

 

Fenris exited the cabin after getting Hawke out of bed, _I will be dressed in a few minutes._ He had told him. The Elf quickly returned to the deck, the ship on the horizon was larger now- no longer a little black dot on the skyline. He went to stand beside Isabela at the wheel, she was looking through a look brass telescope.

“What is happening?” he asked,

“Not much by the look of it- I cannot see any crew. Either they are all sleeping off a hangover or there was a mutiny… who knows?” she said, she held the telescope out to him, he hesitantly accepted it.

“If it’s not a wreck then why are we still pursuing it?” he asked irritably, he managed to focus the telescope at the deck. Isabela was right- no crew. _How odd_ he thought. As he scanned across the length of it he did a double take. He moved the telescope from his eye before moving it back again,

“What- are they? Are they … _tightrope walking?”_ he asked- spotting a figure out on the rigging.

“What?” asked Isabela, whining when Fenris didn’t hand over the telescope “Let me see!” she wrestled it out of grasp,

“Maker’s balls! They are!” she laughed, she turned to the main deck, where her crew stood- awaiting orders. “Rise the Parley flag!” she said, some seemed relieved and others disappointed. Fenris furrowed his brows,

“Parley?” he asked, unfamiliar with the term. Isabela sighed,

“Parely, it’s an oreleasian word. It means we want to talk,” she said,

“Talk?” said Fenris,

“Yes. Talk Fenris- we’re not all ‘rip-out-hearts first, ask questions later’ you know,” she said, he was about to reply when she shushed him, “we need to keep an eye out for their response,” there were a few moments of silence before a crew member pointed and shouted at a light flashing in the distance,

“A signal captain!” Isabela looked through the telescope again, there was a small flashing light in from the deck, .... . .-.. .--. / ... - .-. .- -. -.. . -.. / -.- .. .-.. .-.. . -.. / ... .-.. .- ...- . .-. …

“Help,” mouthed Isabela “Stranded,” she murmured. Fenris was listening with rapt attention, “Killed,” she said, there was a long pause “Slavers,” Fenris’ eyes widened,

“Slavers?” he asked, Isabela removed the telescope,

“Looks like the slaves took over the ship,” she said with a smile “But they can’t sail it so they’re stranded,” Fenris lips straightened into a line,

“What are we waiting for? Let’s help them!” he said urgently, Isabela nodded,

“We will- but we have to make sure it’s not a trap. Pirates have been known to pull this kind of trick,” she took out her compass, using the mirrored lid to reflect the sunlight back at them,

.--. . .-. -- .. ... ... .. --- -. / - --- / -.-. --- -- . / .- .-.. --- -. --. ... .. -.. . “I’m asking if we can come aboard,” she said, after a moment a response came back, --. .-. .- -. - . -.. / --- -. .-.. -.-- / - .-- --- / --- ..-. / ..- …

“Well that’s that then,” she said before turning to her crew, “Full speed men. We are playing hero today,”

 

Solas watched intrigued as Katari flashed the small mirror in the sunlight,

“Where did you learn to do that?” Katari answered with her eyes still on the skyline,

“Book in the library,” she said, Solas hummed in approval. “I’ll show you it when we get back if you want- very useful to know,” Solas drank from a new bottle of wine,

“Clearly,” he said with a smile, passing Katari the bottle she took a quick mouthful before returning to the signaling,

“They are coming alongside,” she said, she startled Solas when she laughed aloud, he followed her gaze to the other flashing light,

“What did they say?” he asked, confused as to what they could have said to make her laugh, she recovered from her laughing and said,

“Uh, they just signaled ‘if this is trap, expect a spanking’” Solas grinned wryly,

“They have a sense of humor at least,”

 

Similarly, Isabela chuckled when she got Katari’s response, Fenris frowned at this.

“I threatened them with a spanking if they were tricking us,” she said, Fenris grumbled. _Of course, Isabela would say that._ Before looking confused,

“What did they say in return?” he asked, Isabela smirked,

“Don’t promise a girl a good time,”

“You have created a monster,” he deadpanned. Isabela laughed.

 

It wasn’t long before the other ship was close, maybe a few hundred feet between them and Katari and Solas could get a good look at the captain and crew, the captain was a tall Rivaini woman with a large feathered hat and skimpy white tunic and beside her stood a white-haired elf. Slowly the ship pulled alongside theirs and the gangplank was lowered, The captain walked across, followed by the grumpy elf. Stopping half-way to look at them in surprise,

“It’s just the two of you?” she asked, Solas stepped forward.

“Indeed- just two of us,” he said, The Captain hopped down onto the deck. Raising a brow,

“I trust you don’t mind me sending my crew below deck to check,” she said, Solas gestured his hand towards the stairs,

“Not at all,” he said, Isabela nodded at some of her men, they all boarded to search down below.  Katari stepped out of the way, catching the Captain’s eye. Eyes that wandered her up and down, her lips stretching into a grin, she was about to say something when a low voice grumbled from behind her,

“Shanedan Vashoth. Maaras shokra, I am Fenris” Solas watched as Katari practically beamed at hearing her own tongue.   _Little Wolf_ , thought Solas, what a coincidence. He glanced at the markings on his skin, grave recognition setting in.  She nodded at the Fenris and smiled,

“Shanedan,  friend!” The elf gave a small smile in return, but not without giving Solas’ staff a wary glance.  The Captain seemed amused at the interaction,

“Show off, I am Captain Isabela,” she said sweeping off her hat in greeting. “You man-” before she could speak any more Maraas thundered across the gangplank, clearly having heard his language being uttered from the other ship, he froze in recognition.

“Maraas?” said Katari in surprise “what are you doing here?” he jumped down onto the deck and approached her, Solas subconsciously stepped in front of her. The qunari ignored him,

“What are _you_ doing here Noms. You were with Shokrakar when I saw you last,” Solas glanced between the two,

“You know each other?” he asked in surprise, the chances of meeting an acquaintance in this scenario were low. She nodded, going to explain but Fenris cut her off, staring at Maraas in surprise,

“Did you just call her Cake?” he asked, He had never heard the giant say so much before or in common for that matter, Katari flushed bright pink,

“Sweet thing,” said Maraas “It also means sweet thing,”  Isabela laughed at the name and at how out of character her quartermaster was acting.  Solas frowned, unsure why the nickname made him uncomfortable. “Surely you didn’t stray so far from your kith to get captured by slavers, Katari,” he said, Katari shook her head.

“I have not been with the Valo-Kas for almost a year now, Maraas,” she said, “I am with the inquisition Now,“  A voice from the other ship made them, all turn around

“The inquisition you say? You are in luck, that is where we are also headed,” for on the deck stood a bearded man wielding a staff- the champion of Kirkwall.


	34. Cakes, Qunlat and Elvish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas and Katari make their way back to Ferelden with Hawke and Fenris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! could not help but post another chapter, I just loved writing their interactions with each other.

 

They gladly put the slaver ship behind them- though not before looting it of all valuables. Fenris, in particular, was pleased with the late Captain’s taste in wine- Katari had laughed when he had all but seized them from her arms. Katari gifted the last few mouthfuls of her Qunari liquor to Maraas, who had accepted it with a smile. At the current moment, Isabela, Maraas, Fenris, Garrett, Solas, and Katari were sitting in Isabela’s cabin, eating the evening meal together. 

“You took out the whole ship by yourselves?” asked Hawke, seemingly impressed. Katari finished swallowing a muscle from its shell, 

“Solas is formidable,” said Katari with a smile, Solas could not help but preen a little at the compliment, Katari chuckled at him.  Hawke seemed excited, 

“We Should spar sometime!” he said, “It’s been a while since I could test my mettle against another mage!” Fenris snorted at his lover’s enthusiasm, Solas graciously accepted- the offer was appealing enough, even though he would have to stick to simpler spells so as to avoid suspicion- 

“He is a fine archer too, I didn’t even know until a few days ago,” she said, gulping down another muscle.  Solas bowed his head in thanks,

“Katari is also an exceptional fighter- she took many off them down through hand to hand alone!” he said. Fenris seemed surprised at this,

“You also wield a bow?” he asked Solas, It was not often he came across a mage who opted to use other weapons. Solas lifted his wine to his mouth,

“From time to time- I enjoyed using one again,” he mused, Fenris hostility towards mages was clear but after hearing his accent and seeing his markings Solas was a little more forgiving of his distrust, Maraas also seemed approving,  muttering something about ‘saarebas has sense’ under his breath to Isabela’s amusement, 

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk so much,” she said chugging a bottle of brandy, “What’s with that cute little nickname for our friend over there?” He grumbled when all eyes were on him.

“Katari is a stupid name for her,” he said, a few of them seemed taken aback at this. 

“It means bringer of death does it not?” said Fenris “Seems fitting enough for a mercenary,” Katari flushed, Solas offered her his wine with an amused grin,  _ shut up.  _ She muttered to him. 

“Her kith were unkind for naming her so. She is small and gentle- Noms is better,” he said “Katari is also a Man’s name,” Hawke laughed at that,

“I’ve never seen you like this before Maraas. Have a little crush do we?” he teased, Katari turned even redder. It amused Solas to see her so flustered, Maraas, however, was unabashed

“I offered myself when we first met- she turned me down,” Isabela was near roaring with laughter at Maraas’ bluntness,  Solas however frowned. 

“You had a death wish for asking me, Shokrakar would have killed you,” Katari mumbled into her glass, Maraas smirked, 

“I remember it was _you_ who threatened to _Kadanshok defransdim vashedan,”_ he said Fenris chuckled at that, Hawke looked confused,

“What does that mean Fenris?” he whined when Fenris said nothing “What does it mean?” It was Katari who answered, less embarrassed than before,

“It means  _ I shall use my foot to assault you in the genitals,”  _ she said “or more literally  _ You will struggle with your wounded intimate friends,”  _ Hawke and Isabela were gasping for breath, Even Solas chuckled at the wording of it. Maraas himself seemed amused as well.  

“Katari, Katari… why does that name sound familiar to me,” said Isabela after they had recovered, Katari shrugged- it wasn’t such an uncommon name for a Tal-vashoth mercenary. Isabela’s face lit up with recognition, “You’re not the Katari that Zevran mentions in his letters?”   she asked, Katari wasn’t sure what surprised her more- the chances of Isabela knowing Zevran or that He had mentioned Katari in his letters. 

“I think I am- though I have no idea what he would be saying about me that is so memorable,” she said, Isabela seemed ecstatic as did Hawke, Fenris, and Solas however frowned, 

“You know Zevran?” asked Hawke, Katari nodded “What are the chances? He made me a very appealing offer a few years ago!”  clearly a bit tipsy from the wine, Fenris glared at him, “Okay maybe not thaaat appealing,” he corrected, Fenris seemed to settle a little, Isabela whined, prodding Fenris in the side.

“Your jealous ways robbed me of my fantasy threesome!” she complained. Hawke merely wrapped his arms around Fenris, 

“ ‘ssall right. Fenris just doesn’t like sharing me,” he drawled, Solas chuckled at the interaction.  _ So this was the famed champion of Kirkwall,  _ he thought to himself, frowning however when Hawke continued, “Sharing  _ with  _ me, however… well, that’s probably a different matter,” he said, ruffling Fenris’ hair. It wasn’t the words that bothered him, it was the way The champion’s eyes moved over to Katari when he said so, especially when Fenris’ eyes followed his lovers. Solas didn’t mind them joking, he didn’t mind the scandalous choice off topic what he  _ did  _ mind was how openly Katari was being objectified. She didn’t even react to it either, it was if it was something that happened all the time. 

“I suppose so,” he said lowly. Isabela seemed ignorant to the interaction,

“Get a room you two!” she hollered, Fenris lifted Hawke from his seat, 

“It is probably best that we get to bed,” he said grabbing two bottles of wine from the table, “Come on Hawke,” he said walking the giggling champion out of the room, “No! Your mabari Cannot sleep on the bed!” he said as Hawke mumbled into his ear. Everyone decided it was best to take their leave. 

 

Solas walked with Katari down to their cabin- it was a small storage room with two cots in it, he almost missed the captain’s lavish cabin on the last ship. It had been a fun evening-  propositions aside. What had bothered him however was that Between Maraas, Katari, and Fenris, he had been unable to understand a third of their conversation. 

“Katari,” he said, she looked at him expectantly as she sat down on her cot, “When we first traveled to Haven together, you said that you didn’t know any elvish,” She nodded, “I was wondering if you’d be interested in learning if you taught me qunlat in return,” he asked, Katari smiled,

“Sounds like a fair exchange of Knowledge to me, was our mysterious chatter beginning to get to you?” she asked, Solas chuckled, 

“a little yes. Do we have a deal?” he said sitting down on the opposite cot, Katari shook his hand, 

“A deal. No time like the present. What do you want to know?” she said. Solas chuckled, pleased by her eagerness, 

“I always think it’s best to start with threats,” he said “What was that phrase?  _ Kadanshok defransdim vashedan?”  _ Katari laughed.

 

In four days Denerim was visible on the coastline, 

“I just realized something,” said Katari as they docked,

“Oh?” said Solas, Katari put on her cloak. “The others might think we are dead,” she said, Solas frowned- they  _ had _ been gone for almost a fortnight. While they were probably scouring the storm coast for them in the wind and rain, they had been lounging in a warm cabin drinking wine and playing chess. He shrugged,

“I suppose we are coming back from the dead, then,” Katari chuckled,

“I suppose we are,” 

 

Hawke had only brought two horses aboard with them, so it was decided that they would double up on horseback. Hawke sat behind Fenris on Fenris’ horse as the stallion was the more temperamental of two and the elf was the only one capable of keeping him under control. Solas and Katari rode Garrett's horse, a goofy chestnut that thought everything was edible, Solas sat behind Katari but every so often took the reins when she was tired. Hawke’s Mabari Pumpkin trailed behind- Katari had laughed when Fenris had said that the dog was smarter than his owner.

 

Solas and Katari exchanged phrases of elvish and qunlat as they rode, Fenris occasionally chipping in to help with pronunciation but otherwise, the two spoke on their own.  Katari was explaining to him the significance of a qunari or Tal Vashoth’s name,

“We choose our own names, they signify a part of our character. Not only does learning names make the definitions easier to understand but in doing so you also learn about the person themselves,” She said, Solas’ hands were clasped loosely around her waist. He hummed to himself, taking a moment to pick the idea apart in his mind. 

“I suppose we start with the easiest then? Katari- one who brings death,” he said, Katari chuckled, 

“I suppose so.  _  Kata  _ is the noun death.  _ Katara  _ is the verb to die. As in; they will die or kill them, and  _ i  _ means one as in the pronoun” Solas nodded,

“So _ ra _ is the conjunctive  _ to be? _ ” he asked, she nodded. 

“You are a fast learner, Solas,” She felt him shrug, 

“I like to think so. You, however, managed to master common in only a year, you have a natural talent for languages, Katari,” She smiled at the praise, “What other names are there?” he mused aloud, “Ah! Maraas. explain that for me,” he said, 

“Maraas means nothing- as in the pronoun, adjective, and adverb. It’s a sad name really, I don’t know why he chose it,” she said, the second half more to herself than anyone else. Fenris must have overheard, 

“When we first met Maraas, he had just decided to become a mercenary. He told us that his sword meant nothing, that he would sell it and himself,” The elf said it with a sobriety that Solas didn’t understand, Katari’s silence, however, told him that such words were of heavy significance. It was a moment before she spoke, clearly having sensed his curiosity. 

“In the Qun, your sword is your Soul.” she said, “without it, you are not considered whole, as a soldier your sword is your purpose and in the Qun purpose is everything. By saying that you sell your sword- you are saying that you sell your soul,” The words hit Solas deeply in his chest, it was hard to imagine the same man from earlier saying such a thing. He had been mostly silent and stoic and the best of times but there was a sense of humor to him and a sense of purpose. 

“But what about outside the Qun?” he asked. Katari paused, 

“The meaning is more complicated among Tal- Vashoth. While many reject the Qun, there are those who cling to some of its ideals. In the Qun, your purpose defines you- to some this is their soul to others, their prison. As a soldier, Maraas was nothing more than a weapon. By saying it meant nothing, he could have meant that his purpose does not define him, that he is more. In the Qun, everything means something while outside of it a great deal means nothing. Maraas sees himself not as a purpose, that he doesn’t  _ have _ to be anything, he can simply exist,” There was silence before Hawke broke it by saying,

“That might just be the deepest thing I ever heard!”  Katari chuckled, At that moment Solas wanted nothing more than to step inside her mind. Her beautifully complex, never-ending mind. He also wanted to backhand Hawke for belittling one of the most intelligent sentences he had heard in this age. Philosophy frightened many people, a display of such intelligence and free will set them on edge and made them uncomfortable because it forced them to think for themselves, He spoke a little quieter, so they were less likely to overhear and interrupt,  _ how many times _ he wondered  _ did she dumb herself down in a conversation as not to frighten them away. How many times had people told her to stop overthinking and shut up?  _ It made him so inexplicably angry. 

“The name liberated him?” he asked, she answered in soft surprise, like she had expected him to drop the subject,

“I think so, yes,” he thought back to one on their first ever conversations. _  Choosing a new name is usually the first act of freedom many have, It’s also about becoming your own person.  _ To Katari a name of your own meant freedom. Solas gently slid his hands over hers onto the reins, offering to take them for her. She let go of them, and relaxed into the saddle,

“What of this other name of yours? What does that mean?” he asked, one ear raised in confusion,

“My other name?” she asked, Solas hummed 

“Yes, the one Maraas called you? Noms was it?” Katari covered her face with her hands, 

“Not you too! Kaaris called me that for a month after he heard, Maraas calling me that,” she said, Solas chuckled at her embarrassment. It was hard to believe that she was the same woman he saw in the pits. 

“I won’t call you that if you don’t want me to,” he said “I only want to know what it means- perhaps then I can understand why it embarrasses you so,” Katari sighed, 

“As you likely heard, it’s the word for cake, or in a  _ very  _ literal sense it means sweet thing, the full phrase is technically  _ Noms Bas  _ but it doesn’t flow very well and therefore people don’t use it,” she said, her academic approach to it, hinted that there were more connotations than she was letting on. Usually, a raised brow or a nod would signal her to continue but since he was behind her he verbally prompted her,

“And?” he said. She sighed again, her hand going to caress that dagger of hers. 

“While sweet in common, can also mean good or kind this is not the case with Qunlat,” she paused “Sweet is only a taste, by calling me a ‘sweet thing’ he was calling me ‘nice-tasting thing’ or ‘thing to be eaten’ that’s why it’s embarrassing,” she said. Solas could not help but laugh at that, No wonder why Fenris was confused when Maraas called her that. Names among Qunari embodied who they were- and revealed what they embodied to others. By Maraas calling that he was making it clear that to him Katari was a tasty looking treat, not only that but after confessing that he had propositioned her in the past he made clear in exactly what way he meant it. She elbowed him in the side,

“I understand why it embarrasses you now, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable by asking,” he apologized, Katari’s chuckle assured him that all was well. As they continued to ride through the Ferelden countryside, Solas could not help think of Val Royeaux and how much he enjoyed their little, frilly cakes. 


	35. no place like home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a short chapter describing their return to Skyhold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter? you ask, why indeed! I am on fire ladies and gentlemen.

The journey back to Skyhold had been shorter than expected. It had taken only a week and a half opposed the two weeks it had taken on the previous journey to Denerim- Solas suspected that it was something to do with Evelyn’s terrible sense of direction. It wasn’t long before Skyhold appeared in the distance, 

“Tarasyl'an Te'las,” he said, remembering how Katari had asked him for the name once before and how she had enjoyed how it sounded. Katari’s head tilted,

“The place where the sky is kept,” she answered, an echo of the answer he had given her. Solas nodded,

“Yes. For learning purposes however we shall translate it literally- The place where the sky was held back,”  he said, She tilted her head upwards, looking thoughtfully up at the sky. Solas smiled, 

“  _ ‘An  _ means place doesn’t it?” she murmured allowed, Solas raised his brows in surprise; he hadn’t taught her that. 

“Indeed, how did you figure that out?” he asked, she shrugged.

“It’s in a few place names- like Arlath _ an _ . It made sense to me,” she said it in a way so logically he almost laughed- only she would think it so straightforward.  “Elvhen is easier to learn than common- Perhaps Qunlat it too. After all common is made up of so many different languages,” she said, Solas nodded. Common was indeed a hard language to master. 

“So this is Skyhold!” said Hawke from up ahead “It’s an impressive fortress,” before they rode up to the bridge.

 

The WatchGuard on the outer tower practically fainted when he saw the procession coming across the bridge- The champion of Kirkwall, his lover Fenris and two missing members of inquisitions missing circle!  He nearly fell over in running to blow the trumpet as a signal of their arrival. It was likely a less subtle entrance than Varric had suggested but Solas and Katari's revival would buy him enough time to find a suitable hiding place. 

 

Solas could hear the whispering as the rode through the inner gate, He had expected some of course- their arrival and their company would certainly be surprising. He slowed the horse to a halt and dismounted, He patted the horse on its neck in thanks before extending a hand out to Katari. Katari hesitantly accepted it, placing her hands on his shoulders and jumping down to the ground, his hands around her waist to steady her. 

“Thank you,” Katari smiled at him, he was about to say _you’re welcome_ when a flash of gold barreled past him, lifting Katari up into her arms. Katari gave a startled laugh, looking down at Krem of all people,

“It’s good to see you!” he told her, grinning, 

“You too Krem,” she said patting his head, Solas felt a large presence behind him,

“Don’t keep her all to yourself Aclassi,” rumbled The Iron Bull, Krem put Katari back down but Before she could enjoy the solid ground beneath her feet she was swept up again by Bull. She laughed awkwardly as she practically dangled from his arms,

“Okay... a lot of hugging,” she muttered, her eye nearly getting poked out by Bull’s horn. 

“We thought you two were gone for good,” he mumbled into her shoulder, sparing Solas a glance, who stood stunned next to the horse,

“It’s good to see you too,” he said, Solas nodded in return.  Hawke seemed amused at it all, no doubt wondering if there was a single person Katari hadn’t charmed as yet another man approached. Iron Bull placed her back down as Blackwall jogged over from the Stables, he didn’t hug her like the others- instead taking her hand in his and pressing a kiss to it. 

“My lady!” he said, “I am relieved to see you again. After- after you and Solas we taken, we searched the coast for a week,” Katari was flushed bright red, Solas came to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder,

“It’s quite the tale,” he said, sensing that she was becoming uncomfortable from all of the attention, “Perhaps it would best be told in the tavern?” He got several murmurs of approval from that, and an overexcited ‘whoop’ from Hawke. 

“Where is Varric?” asked Katari “I’m sure he’ll want to know Hawke is here,” It seemed strange that he wasn’t here to greet them, Blackwall exchanged a look with Bull,

“Varric is with Cassandra, Dorian and the inquisitor at the Storm Coast. They are looking for you two,” he said. Katari felt a little guilty at that- she had Solas had been living in relative comfort while they had been trekking through the mud and rain. 

It was a while before Katari had managed to sneak away from the Tavern, Luckily Hawke was much more eager to tell the story than she was and the champion’s large presence was distracting enough for her to be momentarily forgotten. She was walking along the battlements when she felt Cole appear beside her. She turned to face the blond haired boy, 

“Cole,” she breathed with a smile, “I missed you,” He remained silent for a moment, pale eyes staring at her,

“You mean that,” he said “You care. Always care, you were worried when you were gone. Will he be okay? Will they hurt him? No, no he will be fine. He is strong… thank you,” Katari grabbed his hand, the spirit look down at it confused, 

“Of course I do. You are my friend,” she said softly. He gave her a small smile, 

“My friend. I would like that,” he said before literally vanishing into thin air. He had no doubt gone to see Solas. Katari liked Cole, he was sweet and strange yet in a way she couldn’t explain she understood him. She understood the strange way he talked and understood what he wanted when no one else could- she didn’t know why but she was glad for it.

_ It is strange to be back.  _ She thought and it was. She had left so many places and so very rarely returned to them. Her life up to now had been the road and her home she had carried on her back, and so she wondered  _ is this stirring within me yearning for the road or the fear of finally coming home?  _

  
  
  
  



	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn and the others return to Skyhold.

“I message for you Inquisitor,” Evelyn looked up from the log she had been sitting on, cleaning her staff by the fire. She accepted it with a grim smile,

“Thank you, Harding,” she said, she pried off the wax seal with a blunt pocket knife, leaning closer to the flames for better light, her eyes widening as she read. 

“Guys!” Cassandra, Dorian, and Varric all stumbled from their tents in various states of dress,

“What?!”

“This better be good,” 

“Is it morning already?” were it not for the circumstances she might have laughed, Cassandra stood in her breeches and an undervest brandishing her sword, Varric was wrapped up in a blanket with a quill behind his ear and Dorian’s normally perfect hair was ruffled from sleep. 

“Katari and Solas have returned to Skyhold,” she explained, they all relaxed in relief, 

“Thank the maker,” said Cassandra “what else does it say?” she asked, 

“They are safe and well and the bandits that took them are dealt with,” Evelyn read aloud,

“That’s it?” asked Varric “Usually Leliana is a little more informative,” Evelyn shrugged,

“It’s from Cullen actually,” she said, Varric nodded.

“Ah... Curly, always to the point,” he mumbled before he returned to his tent. Cassandra did the same, leaving only Dorian. Katari’s kidnapping seemed to have tormented him more than the others. Evelyn had noticed that he wasn’t sleeping well- he could dismiss it as Ferelden weather and a bumpy sleeping roll all he wanted but Evelyn knew better,

“You can sleep a better now, knowing she is safe,” said Evelyn, gently putting her hand on his shoulder, his eyes finally focused,

“What? Yes… yes, I suppose I can,” he said, Evelyn ruffled his hair an action which he grumbled at,

“Go back to sleep Dorian,” As eccentric as Dorian often appeared, he was a very private man who didn’t trust easily. He was reluctant to show just how much he had missed her while she was gone. Evelyn smiled as he went back to bed, clapping her hands together- if she wasn’t mistaken Harding has a small bottle of brandy somewhere. 

***

Katari ducked a blow, sweeping under it and trapped the man in a headlock, staggering against his strength before managing to wrestle him to the ground, His fingers scrabbled at her arm in an attempt to remove it. He needed to be on the ground for at least ten seconds for her to win, 

“One,” she grunted. Solas was sat reading nearby, his staff leaning at his side,

“In elvhen, Katari,” he reminded, earning a few confused glances from the others watching, Katari shot him an irritated look, using a knee to pin down one of the man’s legs,

“Is this really the best time Solas?”, he looked up from his book with a nonchalant expression, 

“You must learn it in a practical situation in order to properly remember it,” he said turning the page, Katari Rolled her eyes,

“ _ Sa _ ,” she said, Solas nodded,

“Very good. Two?” he said without looking up, Katari grunted as an elbow flailed into her side, 

“ _ Ta… Tan… Ny… Va _ -” The onlookers began to get frustrated, Bull sighed,

“Do you guys have to do this Now?” he asked in irritation- he had three sovereigns riding on this. 

“Yes!” Katari snapped, more out of frustration than agreement. Solas smugly continued to read, 

“ _ No… Noa… uh… _ ” she paused  _ what was eight?  _ Solas didn’t look up,

“ _ Han _ ,” he supplied. Katari nodded

“ _ Han… Uan… Asan! _ ” she said before finally letting the man go and rolling onto her back, he scampered off while she panted from exhaustion on the ground. 

“Very good, Katari,” he said. Bull looked up thoughtfully,

“That was more than ten seconds… I should make a bet on that next time,” He murmured before going to collect on his money. Katari dragged herself off the ground, panting,

“Next time,” she wheezed “I’m making  _ you _ count kills in qunlat,” pointing at him weakly as drank from her water skin. Solas chuckled, closing his book, 

“It wasn’t that difficult surely?” he said “Though you do always forget the number eight,” he added thoughtfully, Katari looked him in the eye,

“ _ Kadanshok defransdim vashedan,”   _ she threatened, Solas Chuckled 

“ _ Dirthara-ma, Da’len _ ,” he said clearly finding himself hilarious,

“I am  **not** a Child!” she protested, he shot her a sarcastic glance,

“But Katari, you are only a year old,” he quipped, She shook her head, taking out a joint

“The old man has a sense of humor,” she muttered, reaching for her tinderbox only for Solas to stand up and light it for her, 

“ _ Haren  _ Katari, if you are going to insult me do it in elvhen at least,” he said, lighting the end of it with the tip of his index finger, Katari glared at him,

“I am  **not** calling you Haren,” she said, It made her sound like a dalish child- something she most certainly was not. Solas tilted his head in amusement,

“What would you call me then?” he asked, watching as she took the first inhale “Elfroot?” he asked, she nodded before pausing,

“ _ Herasi _ ,” she chuckled, Solas raised a brow 

“And what does that mean?” it was Bull who answered, returning with his money.

“Aged one- it means aged one,” he said, the two turned to face him. He shot Katari a scolding look, “you Tal-vashoth always spilling Qunari secrets,” he wagged a finger at her, 

“Qunlat is hardly a secret Bull,” she defended, taking yet another puff of her joint. Bull nodded,

“It does mess with our ability to  _ keep  _ things secret though,” he said. 

“That’s why it pains me _so_ _much_ to teach it to him,” she said sarcastically. Solas was both smug and amused at the two’s conversation, 

“ _ Tamassran _ means teacher,” offered Bull cheekily, Katari shot him an amused glance,

“That’s not all it means,” she muttered, Solas rose a brow but otherwise said nothing. 

“Come on Katari!” said Bull “Why not one more fight eh? Make me some money? The fights have been boring with you gone,” Katari shrugged, 

“Sure why not- you get it all set up and I’ll be ready in five minutes,” she said, Bull walked off with a grin. Solas gave Katari a scolding glance,

“You’ve already been in six fights today- you should give it a rest,” he said, Katari waved him off, 

“I’ll be fine Solas, I’ll stop if there is any fear of seriously injuring myself,” she said, Solas sighed- there was no stopping Katari when she wanted to test her mettle. 

“Alright- if you don’t stop it I will,” he said pinching the bridge of his nose, Katari switched her elfroot joint for an embrium one. 

“ _ Ghi'lan _ means teacher,” he said, a word in exchange for the new one he had just learned. Katari nodded,

“ _ Ghi'lan, _ ” she repeated, as he lit her new spliff. 

“I don’t want to be patching up wounds Katari,” he warned.

Evelyn and the others rode a little faster across the bridge than they usually would, eager to get back home. The trumpets signaling the inquisitor's arrival as they rode through the gates, It wasn’t long before they caught sight of Katari in the training grounds- sparring as if she had never left. Varric chuckled,

“Katari makes a fighting pit where ever she goes,” he said, happy to see that Katari was herself at least- although it  _ was  _ strange to see Solas nearby. Evelyn jumped from her horse and dashed towards them,

“Katari! Solas!” she yelled, the fight dispersing as the inquisitor approached, Katari looked up, a surprised smile appearing on her face, she reached out a hand to grab hers in greeting but as the marked had met hers the world went black. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun. Cliffhanger. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, bookmarking and leaving kudos! it's really inspired these last few chapters, as always feel free to give criticism and ideas, I am always willing to give them a try!


	37. dream a little dream of me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something interesting happens when Katari touches the mark.

 

“Katari!” yelled Evelyn in panic, “Solas, what’s happening?” Evelyn had never seen him move so fast before as he knelt by Katari’s side. Her eyes were unseeing, her mouth open in a silent scream, Her body spasming on the ground. Solas Glanced between Katari and Evelyn’s hand,

“The mark,” he said, placing his hand on her forehead, “It must have done something, I don’t know-” Katari’s back arched off the ground, Solas sent out a pulse of healing magic in an attempt to help her. Dorian and the Others had reached them,

“Maker! What is happening to her?” asked Cassandra, Evelyn turned her head  to face her,

“I don’t know, I just reached out my hand to- I didn’t think my mark would…” Just as she said this, Evelyn, Dorian, and Solas staggered as Katari’s wide-spreading aura rushed in towards her, Condensing and compacting around her before giving off wild lurches of energy. Solas eyes widened in Confusion, the energy flickering around uncontrollably like flames,

“Uh guys..?” asked Varric uncertainty, as the mages recovered, Dorian Brow furrowed,

“The mark did something to her magic,” he explained quickly, Katari Wheezed in a gasp, her back arching even further before falling limp. Solas looked back at Bull who had been standing paralyzed at the side,

“Bull!” called Solas, snapping him to attention, “We need to get Katari inside,” Bull nodded, moving to scoop up Katari in his arms, 

“Where are we taking her?” he asks, Evelyn answered,

“Take her to my chambers,” said Evelyn “There is more privacy,” Bull followed Evelyn up the stairs, Dorian and Solas following close behind.  _ What had the anchor done to her magic?  _ Thought Solas, before Katari’s magic had lain semi-dormant but the second she came in contact with the anchor, it was like it  _ awoke.  _ The pull of her aura was so strong it had made even  _ him  _ lose his footing. Vivienne met them halfway up the stairs- staff in hand.

“What has happened?” she asked “The was a disturbance in the veil,” she said, Solas frowned,  _ had there?  _ Katari’s aura must have distracted them. 

“Katari came in contact with the mark,” He explained as they walked through the main hall, drawing several gasps of surprise from onlookers. Vivienne rose her brows in surprise, 

“Her magic it feels… different,” she said. Solas nodded, suppressing the need to say that she was stating the obvious. 

 

Bull lay Katari on Evelyn’s bed, 

“Will she be okay?” he asked, his voice hoarse with worry. Solas sighed,

“She’s still breathing and her vital signs are normal- she’ll live,” he said Bull nodded,

“I should- I should go, Krem and they others will be worried,” he said walking towards the stairs, he stopped to glance at Dorian,

“Keep an eye on her okay?” he said, Dorian nodded. Bull walked out the door, leaving only mages in the room. Solas sat on the bed beside her sending a pulse of magic through her to detect any anomalies, Dorian looked almost grey.

“What do you think happened?” he asked, one hand nervously caressing his chin. Solas looked up at him, noting the concern in his eyes. 

“Katari’s magic has always been odd. It acted as if it had stopped developing during puberty and had never fully matured,” he said, 

“That’s unheard of,” said Vivienne, approaching the bed to look at the qunari curiously. Solas nodded,

“You know, it’s odd,” said Solas, picking up Katari’s hand. “I’ve never noticed that she has talons before,” examining the small, blunt claws on the ends of her fingers. Vivienne also glanced at them in surprise, Dorian ran his hand through his hair.

“Some qunari have them, Katari told me that she filed hers down so she wouldn’t damage her palms when punching,” he said, Evelyn had taken a bottle of brandy out from her desk and offered him a glass. Dorian accepted it with a nod, “But I think she did it so she wouldn’t scare people,” he said, 

“That’s sad,”  said Evelyn. Solas frowned at those words,  _ indeed it was.  _

“The Mark is a key to the fade,” said Solas, bringing everyone’s attention to the matter at hand. “It is possible that the connection awakened her dormant magic or jump-started her development,”  he said Lying down on the floor, 

“What are you doing?” asked Vivienne, 

“Katari is unconscious but I may be able to communicate with her in her dreams,” he said, pausing, “It is also likely that the burst of energy might have attracted demons,” he said, Evelyn gasped and Vivienne frowned,

“This is why we need circles,” she said disapprovingly, Solas glared at her,

“We can discuss politics when a friend’s life is not at risk,” he said. 

 

Katari frowned- she was in the fade again, which meant she was either sleeping or unconscious. She stood somewhere beautiful, golden beams of light tumbled off stone pillars, trees overgrowing golden arches, shallow pools at her feet. She cried out in alarm as she saw an elf cut down by a tevinter soldier, the limp body falling through her and onto the ground, she turned away from the soldier -for she knew he could not see her- and bent down over the Elvhen man, frowning. Like in the dream of Arlathan he was taller than modern elves and had Mythal’s vallaslin, it was strange for he resembled the ancient elves yet the soldier that had slain him wore the armor of modern Tevinter. The image crumbled around her, instead leaving her in a sparse and snowy woodland. She glanced around in confusion, there was a lingering sense of familiarity in this place. She turned sharply at the sound of muffled qunlat coming from the trees, A large and shadowy figure running towards something beyond the trees. There was a white shape on the ground, red bleeding into the snow, the figure bent down towards it. She strained her ears trying to listen, but the voice was too muffled. The scene around her was a foggy scene of white, red and grey- it was like looking through frosted glass, one figure in the distance however felt out of place, it was clearer and more solid. It was getting closer even as the scene changed. She no longer stood in a woodland but atop a cliff. She began to recognize the figure as he approached,

“Solas?” she asked,  he smiled in relief.

“Katari,” he greeted, “It is good to see you’re alright,” Katari nodded before a quizzical expression crossed her features,

“What happened Solas? All I remember was Evelyn running up to me,” she said, Solas sighed, unsure how he could explain it  without causing alarm,

“You came in contact with the mark,” he said, pausing to gauge her reaction. Her eyebrows raised in surprise, 

“Oh,” she said softly, Solas Continued.

“I believe that it unlocked some of your magical capabilities that had lain dormant up to now,” he said “The change knocked you unconscious, I am not sure how your magic will be affected when you awake,” Katari nodded quietly,

“This is unexpected,” she said. Solas figured that she needed some time to process the information- she had never really considered herself a mage after all.

“So this is what the dreams of a seer are like,” he mused, stepping towards the cliff edge, overlooking the flat grassy plains below. Katari nodded,

“They are usually more eventful,” she said going to stand beside him, Solas opened his mouth to ask what she meant by that when a brown shape shot upwards, knocking them back with a gust of air. The both looked skyward in surprise, a large feathered creature  circling among the clouds, Katari squinted,

“Is that…?” she trailed off as Solas gave a startled laugh of surprise.

“A griffon!” he said getting to his feet “how marvelous!” Katari chuckled at his excitement,

“It seems so,” she said also getting to her feet. 

“It’s fascinating- usually I need to sleep in a ruin or battlefield to see such things!” he said turning to her with wide eyes, Katari gave a nervous chuckle in response,

“Oh?” she asked, 

“When I first came here it was like- it was almost like the spirits are performing a play for you,” he said, “The wisps just freely give you their knowledge, I wonder why?” 

“I am surprised you have never visited me in my dreams before. As a Dreamer I thought the dreams of a seer might be too much for you to resist,” she said thoughtfully, Solas sheepishly bowed his head,

“I had thought of doing so. But I never seemed to find the time until now,” he said, between her arrival at Haven and Skyhold much has kept him busy. 

“How does the fade seem to a dreamer Solas?” she asked, His eyes lit up at the question.  _ Why do I feel like that was the wrong thing to ask?  _ Thought Katari _. _


	38. we are not in kansas anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas shows Katari the fade and Katari gets to grips with becoming a mage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I on a writing spree? I am! I don't know what's gotten into me in the last week. This fanfic should really be called- "Katari and Solas get philosophical while others worry themselves to death" as it's becoming a recurring theme,

“What would you like to see?” he asks, excitement in his voice. Katari tilts her head,

“What would _I_ like to see?” she asks puzzled, Solas nodded,

“Anything at all,” he says, Katari shuffles on her feet before her ears perked

“Where did you grow up?” she asks. Solas faltered; she could have asked anything, she knew he was a millennia-old and that’s what she asked? She seemed unconcerned by the grand balls of Arlathan or ancients magicks, she wanted to know where he grew up. Solas mimicked her, also tilting his head to the side,

“Is that all?” he asked, Katari was unoffended

“You don’t _have_ to show me. It’s just that I can’t remember where I did,” she said. Solas would be lying if he said that his chest didn’t pang at those words. _She can’t remember childhood. All she knows is the life of a mercenary._ He thought. It was so morose to think that even though he thought her young that she didn’t know what it was to be young. He smiled at her, summoning the image of his childhood village around him.

 

They were high up in the mountains, a small village nestled in the hillsides surrounded by tumbling green meadows. Katari stepped away from him to look around, her eyes wide in curiosity, squinting slightly from the skyline before turning to him in surprise,

“We are not far from Skyhold,” she said, “you are from Ferelden,” Solas smiled at her revelation,

“We were a rural village- far into alamari lands. Many thought it reckless to live here,” he said, the statement was strange when they were surrounded by wildflowers. Katari slowly meandered into the meadow, Solas close behind,

“It is lovely,” she said, sweeping her hand into the long grass “did you ever see any alamari?” she asked, Solas nodded,

“From time to time. They occasionally came to trade livestock or seek out a healer but were otherwise elusive,” Katari plopped herself onto the ground looking up into the sky. Solas did the same folding his legs beneath him, and plucking at the grass, “I will not lie, I have never been fond of humankind but when I awoke to find that the alamari still lingered in this mountains… it was comforting to see some things hadn’t changed,” he said, Katari leaned back on her elbows,

“I think we can agree that humans as individuals can be wonderful but collectively they are very frustrating,” she mused, not an ounce of prejudice in her voice. Solas chuckled at her ability to out such a complicated matter into such simple terms. She breathed in the mountain air as if it was real, “I like the avvar though,” she said,

“Oh?” he asked,

“They lead simple lives- happy ones and do not seek for any more than what they have. Never before have I met a people so content with their lives,” she said, Solas mused at her words. He had never thought simple to be a good thing, ambition is what drove people to achieve great things.

“You admire them,” he said, Katari nodded.

“What greater pleasure is there than to work, eat and live on the sweat of your own brow? To sleep in the house you built and to eat the food you made?” she said “It’s a simple life but a rewarding one,” The words she spoke were beautiful, she sought nothing more than a humble and rewarding life. It made sense to him now, the way she had worked so tirelessly when they first arrived, how she had hunted and hammered without being asked. Solas, lay back in the grass too, _would he find a life so simple fulfilling?_ He didn’t think so, he had left this place after all.

“Is that all you admire them for?” he asked, searching for an explanation that he himself could understand, Katari thought for a moment,

“I think I like their gods,” she said to Solas’ surprise; Katari had never seemed the religious sort.  

“Why do you like them?” he asked with his brows furrowed in confusion like she was some difficult knot he was trying to untangle.

“They worship the Lady of the skies and Korth the mountain father, they worship what they can see and hear around them, the earth and sky- what they know with certainty exists,” she said, it only made Solas more confused, he propped himself up on his elbow,

“You like that they worship nature?” he asked, she sat up too,

“And why shouldn’t they? We owe nature for our existence, it is uncontrollable and all-powerful. It gives and takes and in order to survive, we must treat it with equal measures of both reverence and fear... Is that not a god?” she asked. Solas smiled up at her (for she sat slightly higher than him) “what?”

“I believe you are committing blasphemy,” he said, the faces of Vivienne and Cassandra hearing such things bringing him great delight, Katari chuckled,

“I believe I am... but if you’re not someone the chantry wants dead are you really living?” she said with a shrug. He thrilled at this rebellious side of her- combined with that philosophical mind off hers he was certain they could conversations that lasted for days.

“Does this place still exist?” she asked softly, her hands longingly caressing grass which she knew wasn’t real, Solas’ eyes softened at the question- It must be rare for her to find solace in dreams as he often did- he nodded,

“As a ruin, not far north from Skyhold,” he said, He had been back there only once. Katari nodded,

“I would like to come here someday,” she said.

 

***

 

Katari woke a while later, groggily examining her surroundings as she realized that she was lying in Evelyn’s bed. She moved to sit up, but before she could do so Dorian had shot to the bedside,

“Katari? Thank the maker you are finally awake!” he said, Katari chuckled sleepily,

“It’s good to see you, Dorian,” she said, patting him on the shoulder.

“Solas left only a few moments ago to check if your room was ready,” he said, tweaking at his mustache, “Bull will be pleased too, team shifty just wouldn’t be the same without you,” Karari chuckled again,

“Such a dynamic group we are! It occurs to me that Evelyn has never taken all three of us out into the field with her. Mage, warrior, and rogue! We’re a complete set!” she jested, Dorian relaxed, able to tell that she was feeling alright.

“Actually it’s three mages!” he said “Bull would feel remarkably out of place,” Katari frowned, remembering what Solas had said about her magic changing.

“I suppose so,” she finally said, Dorian noted her expression, grasping her hands.

“Can you not feel it, Katari? All of us mages are amazed at how strong your aura is, who knows what you are capable of?” he said excitedly, Katari had heard of auras but she had never felt others before- her magic simply wasn’t strong enough before. She closed her eyes, concentrating on what she could _feel._ And then she felt it, the way her body thrummed with energy, the way the space around her felt _hers_ distinctly apart from everywhere else that wasn’t. Dorian smiled, clearly understanding what she was doing,

“Concentrate on me,” he said, “tell me what you feel,” Katari nodded, her mind searching beyond her space onto Dorians, feeling an energy different from her own gently pushing against hers, rather like how oil salt separate from water. Her eyes flickered open,

“Dorian, is it weird to say that you feel distinctly purple?” she asked. Dorian laughed,

“Not at all Katari, not at all,” he said, “Now try this. Concentrate on your energy,” She did, “that’s right,” he nodded, “Now push!” he said, Katari raised a brow yet did so anyway, crying out in alarm as she actually pushed him off the bed,

“I’m sorry!” she said, Dorian laughed as he got up,

“I said you were strong!” he said “that only works with other mages, back home we used to have competitions. Rather like arm wrestling!” Katari nodded in understanding,

“Auras give of senses, colors- like you said- temperatures, textures or sounds,” he said, “it can also feel different to the individual but generally most give off an energy recognizable to others,” Katari smiled a little sadly,

“You know, I never really considered myself a mage- it just didn’t feel like who I was,” she admitted. Dorian was surprised but understood nonetheless, there were mages back home who felt similarly,

“Chin up Katari,” he said, Tapping her chin upwards with a smile, “Every mage is different, you’ll find out what kind you’ll be,”

 


	39. we're not in kansas any more part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one is rather short. I might just add it onto the end of the last one, what do you guys think?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is rather short. I might just add it onto the end of the last one, what do you guys think?

“You don’t have to do this,” grumbled Katari as Dorian carried her down the steps, 

“Oh hush you!” he said “Let me look like a dashing hero so I can keep the southerners on their toes,” Katari chuckled, 

“Shall I swoon? Compliment your mustache. When you carry me through the hall?” she joked, Dorian paused for a moment, looking like he was thinking,

“It is a lovely mustache isn’t it,”

 

Dorian was getting tired by the time they were across the courtyard,

“Maker Katari! Why did you have to choose a room so far away?” he panted, Katari laughed at his struggling,

“I like the privacy,” she said, he staggered past the Herald’s rest, past the training dummies and towards the blacksmithy, there was a small archway leading into the stone wall, 

“Oh stairs! How wonderful,” muttered Dorian as stepped down into a narrow hallway “What is even down here? Katari don’t tell me you chose to sleep in a storeroom!” he said, Katari patted him on the shoulder,

“Something much better,” she said, Dorian raised a brow. 

“There you are!” came Solas’ Voice from behind them, “you couldn’t have waited until I got back?” he tutted, Dorian shrugged as best as he could with Katari in his arms, 

“You were taking your sweet time,” he said as Solas walked past them toward the door at the end of the corridor, Dorian nodded in thanks before stepping through the door and freezing, “Maker! ... it's a Cave. why on earth did you choose a Cave Katari?” if his hands were free he would have facepalmed. Katari chuckled,

“I told you it was better,” she said, Solas closed the door behind him as he walked in, smiling as he said,

“I think it is rather charming,” 

 

It was indeed a cave, the walls were of an uneven, rugged stone. What had once been a gaping hole what been filled with diamond-paned glass, creating a floor length, wall to wall window overlooking the mountainside- much like the underforge. Most of the floor had been flattened and paved with flagstones except for one side where a natural stream ran in and out of two grates, one on the wall and the other on the floor, a small pool forming in the middle. Dorian snorted,

“Of course  _ you _ would say that,” he said “I simply don’t understand you grumpy hermits,” walking over to plop Katari down on the double bed in the corner closest to the door. 

She rolled onto her back,

“I have a beautiful view, privacy and my own bathing pool with running water- I don’t see the issue,” she said, Dorian sighed.

“It’s a cave Katari!” he said rubbing his face, Solas walked towards a small wooden table, Idly stroking his hand across it before sitting down in of the two chairs beside it,

“It used to be a wine cellar I believe,” he mused, Katari chuckled, pulling a green bottle from under the bed,

“How fitting,” she said popping it open, Solas seemed amused. 

“I’m surprised there were any left after , Fenris,” he said, recalling how the Elf had hoarded the bottles like a magpie hoards shiny things. Katari didn’t have a glass like last time so she simply drank from the bottle,

“I won it in a bet,” she said, offering the bottle to Solas, who reached out to look at it. 

“What was the bet?” he asked curiously, turning the bottle so he could read the label. “Fenris bet that I couldn’t get Maraas to kiss Isabela,” she said, accepting the bottle back from Solas, He frowned,

“And he did?” he asked in surprise “why?” 

“Because I told him he could have the rest of my joint if he did,” she said. Solas chuckled, Katari, offered the bottle to Dorian who refused only twice before taking a mouthful, He looked at the Label approvingly before taking another one,

“Since when did you drink wine?” he asked, He’d only ever seen her drink from that flask of hers. Katari shrugged,

“I have been converted,” she said taking out an elfroot joint, ”Besides I ran out of my Qunari liquor,” she said. Solas nodded, 

“You gave the last of it to Maraas didn’t you?” he asked, 

“how do you think I got _ this _ one?” she said wiping out a second bottle from under the bed. Solas huffed out a laugh, Katari drank alcohol like water. Dorian however frowned,

“I’m not sure that giving the new fully-fledged-mage wine is a good idea,” he said, Katari lit her joint with a strike of her tinderbox. 

“I’ll be  _ fine _ ,” she reassured him. Dorian turned to Solas, 

“Her aura is very strong,” he said, Solas nodded. “She managed to knock me straight off the bed when I asked her to push me,” Solas’ mouth opened in surprise,

“Oh,” he said before frowning “And  _ you _ thought it was a good idea for her test out her magic merely seconds after she awoke from unconsciousness?” he said, Dorian rolled his eyes,

“We briefly  _ touched _ upon sensing auras,” he said “Quite harmless,” he defended, 

“I didn’t realize that you couldn’t sense them before,” said Solas, weak though her magic had been it was still there. Katari sat up and shrugged, 

“Katari seems to differentiate between auras with colors- she thinks mine is purple,” Dorian explained, placing the bottle on the table. “I better be off- Bull and the others will want to know what’s going on,” he said, heading for the door. “It is probably best you get some sleep,” said Dorian before he left. Solas also got up to leave before stopping, turning around to ask,

“Katari?” she looked up at him, “What does my aura feel like to you?” Katari closed her eyes and concentrated on him, 

“Green,” she said “and a few other things,” Solas nodded, It had been described that way before to him. 

“And what other things?” he asked. Her brow furrowed in concentration, 

“I don’t know- it feels calm but sometimes it snaps at things… I’m not really sure I can put it into words,” she said, Solas nodded before he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so happy that I finally reached the fluff stage of the story, it's been fun to write.


	40. best served cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari is not allowed to leave Skyhold.

 

 

“What do you mean I can’t go into the field?” asked Katari, Evelyn sighed. The horses were waiting but she could spare a few moments,

“I’m sorry, Katari. It’s just that we don’t know how your magic is going to act,” she explained. Katari nodded trying to deny the sinking feeling in her chest- she didn’t know how long she could stay idle for- she knew Evelyn was only trying to do her job-

“We can’t have an untrained apostate out and about causing damage,” and just when she was getting ready to accept the necessary evil the enchanter opened her mouth, looking down at her from her orlesean mount with disdain. “Think of how it would look for the inquisition,” she said. Blackwall shuffled uncomfortably in his saddle, the northern tower suddenly becoming very fascinating. Sera- who would have normally taken Katari’s side against Vivienne had been strange around her ever since her magic had developed. Katari glanced over at Vivienne.

“I have basic training, Madame. As you may have noticed I am not an abomination and If I’m not mistaken,” she said, looking around in feigned intrigue, “Skyhold is not on fire,” Dorian snorted from behind her, Solas- who was pretending to read- smirked at the dry sarcasm. Vivienne rose a brow- unimpressed.

“I’m sure your Tal-vashoth education is… sufficient. For now, dear- why don’t you let us Circle-trained mages represent the inquisition,” she said, looking at the three apostates in mild disgust, She didn’t see the flash in Katari’s eyes. Dorian however, stepped back when he felt Katari’s aura begin to lash out sharply. Vivienne had turned to adjust her saddle bag.

“Shokrakaar,” said Katari softly, Vivienne lifted her head,

“I beg your pardon dear,” said Vivienne, Katari’s eyes met hers.

“Then beg,” all eyes turned to her- the qunari’s face was like stone, Vivienne was frozen. “Shokrakaar trained me. Shokrakaar, leader of the Valo-Kas, oldest and most respected  Tal-vashoth alive. The greatest mage you have _never_ heard of. Look down your nose at me by all means- but do not smear his name in doing so. He is your elder and your superior. So. show. some .respect,”  you could have heard a pin drop in the courtyard, Katari tilted her head, “You will have time to rethink your words out in the field,” she said lightly, before bowing slightly to Evelyn, “Inquisitor,” and Turned away in a flurry of her black cloak.  

 

Dorian caught up to her, excitably grabbing her shoulder.  “Maker Katari! Remind me never to cross you” he said, Katari shrugged.

“She crossed the line,” she said simply. Dorian respected Vivienne -as a mage and as a person- but he didn’t like her and he agreed, Vivienne had being toeing a dangerous line.

“I have dreamed of the day that Vivienne was left speechless but even in my wildest imaginings did I think you would be the one to do it!” he said, throwing an arm around her shoulder, she jumped at the contact but didn’t shrug it off. “The strong and silent Katari- verbally thrashing the Grand Enchanter,” he mused.

“It certainly was impressive,” said Solas catching up with them, sending Katari an intrigued glance, “you’ve mentioned Shokrakaar before, he is the oldest living  Tal-vashoth?” he asked, Katari, nodded,

“Tal-Vashoth yes, there are older vashoth but the ones who escaped the qun rarely live long lives,” she said “they are hunted by the qun. Shokrakar has lived his life with a red target on his back, one that only grows with his age. He was a boy when the Llomerryn accords were signed,” Dorian sucked in a breath of surprise,

“Your people revere him?” asked Solas, Katari nodded.

“He is a beacon of hope for my people- he is a symbol of a long and prosperous life. A beacon the Qun seeks to snuff out to discourage more Qunari from following in his footsteps. Even bandit Tal-vashoth bow their heads,” she said, a sly grin crept onto Solas’ face,

“And yet, despite this Maraas was willing to risk his ire to proposition you?” he said, Dorian’s eyes snapped to Katari, who was beginning to flush pink.

“What?” he asked, Katari looked down at her hands,

“Shokrakaar was very protective of me- he threatened to kill anyone who dare lay a hand on me,” she said quietly, “Maraas was very foolish to ask me so openly,” she tutted. Dorian seemed shocked and proud all at once,

“Why Katari! You had a man willing to die for a single night with you?” he said. Katari chuckled but it was a hollow one,

“I wouldn’t say that Dorian. Maraas was new to Tal-vashoth culture, he didn’t know who he was messing with and the fact I was off limits made me an appealing challenge,” she said. Dorian scoffed but said little else,

“What was that line- Then beg? I found that quite amusing,” said Solas,  clearly hoping to lighten the mood, Katari huffed out a laugh,

“That line was _glorious_ , Katari! Talk about a power move, Skyhold will talk about it for weeks!” said Dorian gleefully, the blush faded from Katari’s cheeks,

“What?” she asked dumbstruck, Dorian rose a brow,

“You had quite the audience, Katari- we had a few Orlesean nobles visiting too,” he said, Solas touched a hand to Katari's forearm,

“Are you alright?” he asked in concern, Katari nodded.

“I’m fine- it’s just that I don’t like being the center of attention that much,” she said, Dorian scoffed,

“You don’t seem to mind it in the pits,” he said, Katari frowned.

“It’s not the same. People come to watch me fight- It’s different, I…” she tried to explain, Solas changed the subject,

“I’m sorry you didn't get to go with them- I know you had looked forward to it,” he said, Katari shrugged.

“I understood why I couldn’t go,” she said softly,

“Why you wanted to go to the Frostback Basin is beyond me,” said Dorian,  he for one did not enjoy the idea of trekking through the wind and snow through Avvar lands- despite his academic appreciation for it.

“You know Solas’ warming spell- it wouldn’t be so cold,” she said, Dorian nodded _I suppose,_ he seemed to say, “At least we can entertain ourselves with the Image of Vivienne there,” she said, Dorian laughed- indeed he could. Solas, however, seemed to be having an epiphany,

“What?” asked Dorian, Solas expression grew excited, he turned to face Katari,

“You couldn’t do the spell before- but now you might,” he said, It was Dorian's turn to become excited,

“Are you finally giving Katari the all clear to try out her magic?” he asked, Solas nodded, searching Katari’s face for an answer,

“I’ll give it a try,” she said.

  
  
  



	41. when sparks fly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari tries her hand at spell casting

 

“Oh come on!” groaned Bull “Can’t you do  your magic-fade-crap somewhere else?” he asked, Dorian folded his arms,

“No, Bull. we cannot,” he said, Bull sighed,

“Whatever- just keep the fireballs away from me,” he said, getting up to move further away from the training area, Solas’ lips twitched but otherwise he didn’t react.

“Let’s not try fireballs just yet?” he suggested, he had brought a number of staves with them, he leaned them against the wall gently before turning around to face her,

“That would probably be best,” she agreed. hesitantly, she took off her cloak, placing it gently on the ground, Dorian was buzzing with energy at the side. Solas leaned on his staff,

“Let’s avoid primal magic all together shall we?” he said- she seemed to struggle with the school and he wanted her to find a comfort zone before he pushed her out of it. Dorian groaned,

“Trust you to skip all the fun parts, Solas,” he said. Dorian enjoyed the showmanship of fire and electricity while Solas’ found his thrills in manipulating unseen forces; it was only natural for them to disagree. Solas shook his head,

“Spirit is the opposite of primal magic- if she struggles with one, it is likely she will excel in the other,” he defended before turning to Katari, “What would you feel most comfortable with?” he asked gently. She seemed to think for a moment, standing still. In fact, she stood still for a moment too long for his liking, he frowned. Stepping towards her,

“Katari-” a hand was on his shoulder- Katari was behind him, he looked back to where she had stood, ... _did she?_ His eyes were wide with surprise,

“Did you just fade Step?!” asked Dorian in shock, Katari shook her head.

“An illusion. I wanted to see how entropy had been affected but…” she said, almost apologetic,

“But it is near impossible to disorient someone who expects it,” Solas finished, an excited smile crept onto his face, Katari blinked in surprise, flushing a little when Solas spoke,

“Katari,” he breathed, “ for all intents and purposes you just mimicked a fade step, using _entropy,_ ” he said, Dorian bounded over,

“That was ingenious!” he gushed, “how did you come up with it?” he asked, Katari’s brows furrowed,

“I don’t know- it just seemed a good way to test out my abilities,” she said, confused as to why it was so exciting. Dorian seemed to sense her confusion, putting his hand on her shoulder and explaining,

“Entropy spells tend to be more ambient- vague even- but you managed to cast a _specific_ illusion with little to no thought,” he said. Katari wouldn’t necessarily agree with that; she had been concentrating. Solas remembered how much spellcasting had drained her in the past,

“How are you feeling?” He asked, Katari’s brows furrowed a little when she realized that she didn’t feel tired at all- she was so used to her magic draining her- it felt strange to be unaffected by it,

“I’m fine,” she said. Solas nodded, offering a slight smile,

“That is good to hear,” he said, Solas was quiet for a moment before he asked, “would you like to try a stave?” he gestured to the few he had leaning against the wall, hesitantly Katari stepped forward,

“I have only a little experience with them,” she said quietly, Dorian seemed enthusiastic though,

“Oh, Katari! The stave is half the fun,” he said, proudly swinging his in a circle with childish glee, Katari shook her head- huffing out a laugh. Solas nodded towards them, picking up his own and saying,

“Pick one,” as he walked further out into the training area. Katari looked at them- Staffs had never appealed to her, clunky and large they would have only slowed her down on the road. Each was equally unique, some longer, others smaller. Ornate and simple, she looked at them the way many men looked at heeled shoes. _Were they really necessary? Did they need to be so decorative? Why do you need so many?_ Sensing their impatience Katari reached out for the simplest looking one; short, around her height and topped with a small animal skull, framed by a wire diamond. She turned to face them. Solas tilted his head, examining the staff she had chosen in curiosity. Dorian, however, chuckled. Katari frowned,

“What is so amusing?” she asked, glancing at it in search of the illusive joke that seemed to be hiding there. Dorian, shrugged,

“Nothing really- there is just irony in the fact that you choose the _seer_ staff without realizing,” he explained,

“Oh,” said Katari, looking at it in new found interest. “I didn’t realize,” Solas gave a small smile,

“It seems fitting enough,” he mused, Katari stepped into the training ring. “Get used to the feel of it before you cast anything- give it a few swings and spins to ease into it,” he said, Katari stood awkwardly,

“Just do what feels natural,” added Dorian. Katari didn’t really think anything felt natural about holding a staff- so used to wielding daggers and small knives. She thought back to how Solas and Dorian fought out in the field, grand sweeping movements full of spins and turns; Katari wasn’t sure that was her thing. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine herself in a fight, tossing it between her hands, _Left or right_ she wondered- she usually dual wielded after all. Hesitantly she gripped it with both hands, not like she was holding a longsword but with her hands spaced a foot apart. Dorian and Solas exchanged a glance but said nothing. She sharply swung it upwards as if blocking some invisible weapon, eyes still closed she continued, jabbing, blocking, feigning. Suddenly wood hit wood with a _clack._ She opened her eyes- Dorian was stood there grinning, his staff blocking hers.

“We would spar like this back home from time to time,” he said, pushing her back with a sudden thrust forward, He stepped back, spinning his staff idly in his hand. “Without magic,” he said, Katari blocked a swing as the began circling. “So we wouldn’t seriously harm each other,” he finished, blocking a blow from Katari in return. Solas folded his arms,

“This was _supposed_ to be a lesson in magic,” said Solas, Katari ducked under Dorian’s staff,

“Fighting like this seems to come more naturally to her,” said Dorian “We can focus on magic later,” He said as they began to circle again, The sound must have drawn attention from nearby soldiers as a few were beginning to approach- many were unused to see mages fight this way and it seemed to be an intriguing performance. Katari rolled her eyes, the two of them were talking as if she wasn’t there, _they want magic? Fine._ she thought, Her aura launched forward, causing Dorian to stagger back in surprise. Solas -who had felt the movement- smirked, remembering how Dorian’s aura had shoved his when they were healing Katari after the incident with Brooker. Dorian recovered and grinned,

“Oh _now_ we’re talking,” he said, he shifted to avoid her swing. Instead of the staff hitting his head it caught his shoulder, Katari grinned, yanking it forward and pulling him off balance. Dorian retaliated with a jab, which she only barely dodged, Launching his aura into hers. She stumbled slightly before pushing her aura back against his, their feet sliding a little in the dirt before Katari swung her staff into his legs, Dorian was swept onto the ground with a yelp. Rolling out of the way of Katari’s staff and throwing up a barrier, she qunari growling when her staff hit the barrier with a _twang._ Dorian raised an eyebrow,

“This is a mage fight after all,” he said, Katari looked around for ideas. Solas cast a barrier around the training ring so no spells would hit onlookers- the number of which seemed to be growing. Katari gave an out-of-character yelp as she dodged a fireball, hitting the barrier instead; causing a few people to jump in surprise as it fizzled out.

“Dorian,” scolded Solas,

“She can handle it,” he said, firing several more in her direction. Each hit the barrier with a bang and a fizz, some of the mage apprentices had come down from the library to watch and were whooping with glee at the action. Dorian preened at the attention, spinning his staff even more for show, Dalish and Krem had also sat down to watch,

“Come on Katari!” hollered Krem from the side, Katari dodged another fireball,

“Use a spell!” shouted Dalish, I’m trying thought Katari, the constant dodging was wearing her out, _if only he couldn’t see me_ she thought, she relied so heavily on stealth when she fought mages in the field. Katari thought of the entropy spell she did earlier- _would she be able to muster the same level of focus in a fight?_ She thought dodging yet another fireball, _only one way to find out._ Like a raindrop on a spider thread, she sent her magic towards Dorian, trying to keep it light so he wouldn’t feel her magic cloud his mind. She ran towards him, yet his eyes remained focused on where she had stood. A mischievous expression crept into her features, _it worked._ She thought in glee, _It worked!_ It must have looked odd to onlookers as they weren’t under the illusion like Dorian, other mages however had cottoned on to what she had done and watched with wide eyes. Solas rose an eyebrow, Katari used magic in a way he had never seen, what more was she capable off? Katari Jumped up from the ground, lifting her staff high in the air. Dorian’s eyes widened when the illusion faded- Katari right in front of him as her staff hammered into his Chest. He fell back onto the ground, stunned. Katari stood panting for breath, Her eyes upon wide and her heart beating in her ears as a sudden cheer erupted from the crowd.

 

Pleased with Katari's progress, Solas returned to his bedchamber for the evening, it was a modest room not far from the rotunda, crowded with piles of books and haphazard paint pots. He sighed as he closed the door, the day had been tiring as always. Days like these when he was left at Skyhold were the worst, without traveling and fighting as a distraction his facade was much more tiring to maintain. It was exhausting to cross-examine every question he was asked before he could give an answer, It was exhausting to keep his magic in check so he wouldn’t use it on instinct- It was exhausting to live a lie. He sat down beside the fire, reaching for a book he had left there the previous evening. Not even to his spies and followers could he relax, for the Dread wolf was yet another mask that he wore. He wasn’t really reading- he had read the same line thrice- but sitting with a book in his hand was comforting and familiar. He wore a mask in front of everyone… all except Katari. She knew he was more than a humble apostate but did not know he was the Fen’Harel. He allowed himself to indulge in the freedom her company provided, with her he was free from the facade and free from the heavy burdens he carried but even then he was keeping secrets- he knew deep down that it would come to an end.

 

Katari was a conundrum. He had stepped inside her dreams and had seen what she was capable of learning, she had even told him that she had visions of eluvians. She could be a huge threat to him and his plans, he should get rid of her, kill her if it came to it but he could not deny that such a thought pained him. He had been a fool, telling himself that he was out to gain her trust so that she might share her visions with him. He didn’t need her to tell him, he could enter her dreams whenever he wanted. He chuckled bitterly _are you even lying to yourself now, Solas?_ He enjoyed her company, she had a bright young mind and her magic was beautifully alive. He didn’t want to be guilty of snuffing out such a bright light when he was responsible for the darkness. There was, of course, a second school of thought, _if you can’t beat them, join them._ Solas would be lying if he said he hadn’t considered getting her to join his cause but such an idea was ludicrous. No matter how valuable Katari’s visions were, she was a qunari and the chances of her agreeing where nonexistent.

 

He stood up and began to pace slowly, back and forth along the length of his room. He was at war with himself. On one hand, he knew he should prioritize the greater good of his people over his selfish desire to keep his conscience clean. On the other hand, he knew the skills of a seer would be invaluable… and he didn’t want to lose yet another friend. He paused, looking up at the ceiling. _Katari is young, open-minded, intelligent. Is it so far fetched to think that she may join my cause?_ He shook his head, he was being ridiculous- entertaining the fanciful notion that she would become his friend and support him in his endeavors. _Am I so foolish to think she would stand by as I plunged her world into chaos?_ He berated himself, _and am I  so selfish as to endanger her so you can have what? A friend? Do I seriously think she would choose me over the inquisition?_ Who needed Demons when he had his own mind to belittle and temp him? Hope flickered up inside him, _but then again,_ he thought, _she seemed to emphasize with me when I told her half the truth_ **_and i_** _f this world was going to be thrown into chaos, then surely she would be safer at my side?_  

 

A knock at the door brought him back to reality,

“Come in,” he said, a small elvhen woman stepped through the door. _Joselin_ he remembered- one of his spies. He straightened, “You have news?” he asked, she extended an arm, offering a folded piece of parchment which he accepted,

“ _on dhea'lam Fen’harel,_ just an update- nothing of great concern,” she said before turning for the door,

“ _melena a sahl,_ ” he said, she turned back to him with an expectant expression, a thought for a moment before saying, “you work in the kitchens, do you not?” she nodded. “Are you familiar with mistress Katari, the small qunari woman who used to sleep in the kitchens?” he asked, her eyes lit with recognition,

“I do,” she said. Solas hummed, turning to stroke a hand across his bookshelf before sparing a glance back at her,

“What do you think of her?” he asked, the woman seemed surprised at the question but answered anyway,

“Very polite. Never got in the way or caused trouble. Called me milady once- never will forget that,” she said, Solas couldn’t help but smile a little at that- Politeness was practically a character trait of Katari. “Caught the cook’s hand, stopped him from striking one of the girls once- she had knocked over the stew. Kind, a kind lady indeed. It was awful to hear what Brooker had done to her- not nice to know he’ll be out and about soon,” she said, Solas turned to her in surprise. “Haven’t you heard sir? He’s getting released from his cell tomorrow- end of his punishment,” she said, Solas frowned,

“No I had not,” he said. It had a long time since he had been _itching_ to make someone suffer but the desire began to bubble up within him. “Is one of ours on guard duty tonight?” he asked, she seemed to think for a moment before answering,

“Yes, yes there is… why?” she asked hesitantly, Solas grabbed his staff,

“I’m paying him a visit,”


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas pays Brooker a visit and Katari receives some bad news.

Skyhold was silent save for the usual watch guards making it almost too easy to slip into the cells. These cells were less guarded- used for drunkards, brawlers and out-of-line soldiers- which was very fortunate for Solas and not so fortunate for Brooker. He nodded to his spy, he nodded and stepped away from the door- allowing Solas to enter.

It was cold inside; there was a gaping hole at the far end, falling back to reveal the lengthy drop below. The other cells were empty to Solas delight as he quietly approached Brooker’s cell, where the man lay on a thin cot shivering and facing the wall. Solas unlocked the gate with a flick of his wrist, allowing it to swing open with a sickening screech. The man tensed but remained still, Solas tilted his head.  
“Good evening,” he said, the soft voice must have surprised the human as he clumsily got up from his cot and looked at him with wide eyes,  
“Who are you?” he asked in a hoarse voice. Solas chuckled, reaching his hand up to the candle mounted on the wall,  
“Who am I? I don’t think it matters who am,” he said, extinguishing the flame between his fingers. Plunging the cell into further darkness, Solas’ elvhen eyes glinting like a cat’s. He stepped forward, Brooker stumbled back into the corner.  
“Stay back knife-ear!” he yelled, panic filtering into his features. Solas tutted,  
“Knife-ear? You do not fight elves?” he asked, his expression hardened “No, you only attack small and unarmed qunari women don’t you?” Brooker's eyes widened in realization,  
“This is about her?” he asked dumbly “I already learned my lesson, won’t be hurting her again I swear!” Solas’ hand shot out like a viper, latching itself onto the human’s neck. His head clacking against the wall,  
“No, I don’t think you will be hurting her again. Or anyone else for that matter,” he whispered dangerously, lifting the man off the ground and pinning him there by magic alone. He removed his hand, clasping it gently in the other behind his back.  
“Don’t kill me,” the man whimpered, Solas shook his head,  
“Kill you? Oh, I’m not going to kill you… not yet anyway,” he said lightly, relishing in the way the man quivered in fear before leaning closer and whispering,  
“Count yourself lucky that The Iron Bull got you first,” the man’s scream for help was cut short, Solas dragging him from out of his cell and towards the hole in the floor, Brooker’s struggles increased,  
“No! No, please! Don’t- don’t kill me-” Solas swung him out over the ledge, the wind ruffling his clothes. Brooker grasped onto his hand for dear life,  
“No, I can’t kill you now- It’s too suspicious,” said Solas, he didn’t want to land Bull in further trouble for a murder he didn’t commit. “So here’s what’s going to happen, tomorrow when you are released, you are going to go to the commander and resign, do you understand?” Brooker nodded frantically, his boot slipping from his foot a falling down into the mountainside, Solas smiled, “Good,” he said. “Then, you are going to leave Skyhold and I will give you a day’s head start before my men hunt you down,” Brooker’s eyes widened, “Live like a dog,” said Solas, “And you’ll die like one,” He threw the man back into his cell, flicking the lock shut again with his wrist.

***  
“Come on Katari! You managed to best me the other day and you can’t hurl a single fireball?” said Dorian, Katari who had been trying for over an hour finally snapped,  
“I’ve been trying Dorian!” Dorian stepped back in surprise, his expression softening,  
“I’m sorry, Katari. I shouldn’t have pushed,” he said placing a hand on her shoulder, Katari gave him a tired smile,  
“It’s alright, Dorian. I shouldn’t have snapped- It’s just that I…” she trailed off, Dorian patted her shoulder,  
“This doesn’t come easily to you does it?” he asked “Being a mage?” Katari sadly shook her head and Dorian pulled her into a hug. Katari blinked in surprise before slowly returning it, Dorian smiled into her hair, “It’s alright, Katari. You don’t have to fit a specific mold just because you have magic,” he said, “you use magic like a rogue anyway- and Maker knows you can’t stand that staff,” Katari chuckled, sparing the staff a scathing glare as Dorian released her from his hold.  
“What do mean I use magic like a rogue?” she asked curiously, Dorian chuckled,  
“You use it cast illusions and make you sneaky,” he said “very roguelike to me,” Katari tilted her head,  
“I suppose so,” she smiled before sighing “it’s just that if I don’t learn to use my magic Evelyn won’t- I mean the inquisitor won’t give me permission to leave,” Katari missed the road desperately and she envied Evelyn for going into Avvar lands like she so desperately wanted too. Dorian shook his head,  
“It’s not like that Katari- not even Evelyn fights like a mage- she just wants to make sure that you’ll be safe out there,” Katari was about to say something when Leliana called down to them from the rookery,  
“I’m not sure that casting fire spells indoors it a good idea,” Dorian jumped,  
“Maker!” he exclaimed before going to catch his breath, Leliana rolled her eyes,  
“Katari,” she called, Katari looked up at her.  
“You’ve just received a raven,” she said, Katari furrowed her brows,  
“A message?” she asked in confusion, Dorian followed her up the stairs, “Whoever from?” she murmured.

They reached the rookery, Leliana extended a piece of rolled parchment to her which she accepted. She broke open the small wax seal and unrolled the note, stilling when she read what was written inside. Dorian’s brows furrowed in concern,  
“Katari? Is everything alright?” he asked softly, his eyes widening in horror when she sniffed and a tear rolled down her cheek, she rubbed at her eyes,  
“Yeah, I uh just received some bad news that’s all,” she said passing Leliana the note; knowing that the nightingale would want to read it herself, “I uh- I’m going to retire to my room for a while,” she said, before going down the steps. Dorian looked at Leliana,  
“What does it say?” he asked hoarsely, Leliana passed him the note with a grim expression. It read.

 _“To Katari,_  
_It took us a while to reach you, we didn’t know you had joined the inquisition. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your falcon_ Asaara _passed away recently and we thought you should know. I’m so very sorry, Katari,_  
_-Kaariss”_

A pained look crossed Dorian’s features,  
“Oh, Katari,” he said softly. As if she didn’t have enough to deal with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry It ended on a sad note, guys. :-(


	43. A shoulder to cry on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas comforts Katari,

Solas frowned as he entered the rotunda, Dorian said that he and Katari would be practicing in there until noon but they were nowhere in sight. Frowning he climbed the staircase to the library, 

“Dorian,” he called softly, walking towards the primal tomes section- where the Tevinter usually lingered. “Dorian?” he called again, He heard a stirring from the window,

“I’m here you apostate hobo,” said Dorian from his armchair, Solas turned to face him with a quizzical expression,

“I thought you and Katari would be practicing,” he said, Dorian rubbed his chin. 

“We were,” he said grimly, Solas grew concerned.

“Did something happen?” he asked.  _ Did something go wrong regarding her magic?  _ Thought Solas,  _ Maybe she hurt herself?  _ Dorian sighed,

“She got a message from one of her mercenary friends- Kaaris I think his name was- apparently her pet falcon died. Poor thing, she was near distraught,” he said. Solas’ brows furrowed in understanding.  _ Oh, Katari,  _ he thought, remembering how he had felt when his first hart had died. He had sought the company of animals almost as often as he did with spirits in his youth and he had grieved their loss just as deeply as he mourned the death of friends. 

“Where is she?” he whispered, Dorian propped his chin on his hand,

“In her room,” he said, looking up at Solas, “I think she wanted to be alone,” he said, Eyes widening when Solas made a move for the stairs, “Solas!” but Solas was already gone,

“Maker! Why do I even bother?” he mumbled to himself. 

 

Solas knocked gently on Katari’s door, He heard some sniffling,

“Come in,” she croaked, slowly he opened the door. Katari had moved all of her bedding to where a second pool had been once, piling them up and making herself a little nest, where she was now curled up, her boots and cloak thrown onto the floor. She looked up at him with red eyes and nose, 

“Solas,” she said in surprise, She moved to get up-

“It’s alright,” he said, making his way over to her little nest and sitting on the edge, “I came as soon as I heard,” he said softly, Katari tried to rub her eyes dry. 

“I’m sorry- I feel like a fool,” she said, clearly embarrassed at being seen this way. Solas frowned, 

“Don’t be,” he said “It’s alright to cry, you clearly lost something dear to your heart,” He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, “Dorian said it was your pet falcon,” Katari shook her head, 

“ _ Asaara.  _ She wasn’t my pet, she was a wild falcon I had befriended,” said Katari softly, “I mimicked her cries until she responded to me, fed her until she even brought me her own kills in exchange,” She was clearly offended at her being called a pet- It was her friend. Solas felt a pang in his chest, this wasn’t some gift or prized possession, it was a bond she had created over time. 

“Animals are their own beings,” said Solas “It is hard to lose one when they trust you so unconditionally with their lives,” To his surprise, Katari threw himself into his chest. He was stunned for a moment, the touch of another had become foreign to him but slowly he put his arms around her shoulders. Coming to the realization that he too craved touch and affection after so long. He closed his eyes, unable to remember the last time someone had embraced him. Katari spoke after a moment, 

“Didn’t think anyone would understand- I felt so foolish crying over a falcon when people had lost family at Haven,” she sobbed, “it’s just that- I don’t have anyone outside the Valo-kas. And- and small things mean so much more to me because, because-” Solas stroked her head, avoiding her horns as he wasn't sure if it was a cultural taboo to touch them or not, 

“Because you don’t have any memories,” he finished gently.  _ How strange it was  _ he thought  _ a day meant nothing to him while a day could mean everything to Katari.  _ He felt her nod against his chest, he hushed her gently. Searching his mind for the qunlat he remembered,

“ _ Taashath, _ ” he murmured, she relaxed almost instantly. “ _ Maaras... shokra. Kost, Katari, kost _ ,” she didn’t seem to mind his pauses or that what he said must have meant complete nonsense. Hearing her own tongue seemed to comfort her, an opportunity not to think and instead be at ease. He rocked her a little, she seemed to settle down,

“I’m sorry, I just kinda threw myself at you. I don’t get hugged often- I’m not really sure how to do it,” she said, Solas chuckled at her admission

“It’s alright,” he said “In truth, I don’t think I’ve think I’ve been hugged in over a millennia,” he admitted, Katari looked up at him with wide eyes before tightening her arms even further around him. Solas chuckled again before a saddened expression came into his eyes. 

“Even before I went to sleep,” he said, Katari’s ears pricked at his voice, listening intently. “I had many... responsibilities and most found me too intimidating to approach or befriend,” He allowed himself to tell her that much and the minute he did he felt the weight on his shoulders lighten a little. 

“ _ Ir abelas _ ,” she said. Solas smiled at her choice to use elven- clearly trying to comfort him in the way had tried to comfort her. She tended to draw out the “A”s and “S”s as she would in qunlat, usually such a thing might have irritated him but he found himself enjoying the way Elven sounded from her lips, rich and sleepy. 

“You have a charming accent,” he complimented, She slowly untangled herself from his arms, 

“Oh?” she said, Solas nodded. She smiled, “Yours is distinctly elvhen- you shorten the Vowels and sharpen the consonants,” Solas frowned,

“Do I?” he asked in confusion, she nodded, 

“I wouldn’t worry though- I can understand you just fine,” she said. Solas nodded- mentally making a note to practice later. 

“What does  _ Asaara _ mean?” he asked hesitantly, worried he might upset her by asking, Luckily she smiled instead- though, to herself as if recalling a memory.

“It means wind. Wind or sky,”

  
  
  
  



	44. personal buisness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn returns to Skyhold, Dorian and Solas have a disagreement and Katari unwittingly gets involved in 'boy talk'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait guys! Hope you like it!

It was a couple of weeks later when Evelyn returned. Dorian, Solas, and Katari were pouring over a tome in the library,

“A-Hah!” said Dorian, slamming his finger onto the page, “There! The decay rate of defense barriers,” he began scribbling calculations down on a piece of parchment, mumbling as he did so, “carry the 2. Divide by a hundred....” They had been debating this spell for hours before Dorian announced that he was going to show them a book in the library to ‘prove his intellectual superiority’. He underlined his answer, “Therefore making the decay rate of an Elegant Defense Barrier, twelve percent per second. Making the Energetic Defense Barrier more effective as it not only holds longer before decay sets in  _ but  _ it has a slower decay rate overall,” he finished, tapping the parchment with his pencil. Solas rose an eyebrow, 

“Except your wrong,” he said, Dorian’s face fell,

“What?” he said, Solas pointed to the page, 

“You forgot to factor in staffs and barrier diameter,” he said Dorian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose when he realized that hid did indeed miscalculate. 

“Meaning you were right after all,” admitted Dorian begrudgingly. Katari shrugged, 

“It  _ is  _ his area of expertise, Dorian,” she said neutrality. Dorian was about to say something in response but they were interrupted by fanfare.

“Evelyn’s back? I thought they were returning next week,” said Dorian, Katari trailed behind him as he walked over to the window, Katari furrowed her brows,

“Vivienne is not with them,” she said, Dorian smirked,

“Think you managed to scare her off?” he asked, sure enough only three horse rode through the gate. Katari elbowed him in the side, 

“Perhaps she couldn’t bear to leave the Frostbacks,” said Solas- joining in on the antics. Dorian snorted. 

 

Dorian, Katari, and Solas reached the courtyard,

“The enchanter has been called away on personal business to Orlais,” Evelyn told them, they exchanged glances of surprise but otherwise remained silent, Evelyn shrugged.

“Weird right?” she said before telling them, “I’ll be here for a week but then I’m heading back to the basin- I still have unfinished business there,” She patted her horse's neck before handing the reins over to a stable hand. “Solas, you’ll be taking the Enchanter’s Place- I trust that is alright?” she asked, He nodded- unsure why the sudden desire to remain bubbled up inside him. “I may also take Bull with us; He’s helpful with the bears,” she added as an afterthought before swinging an arm around Katari’s shoulders, 

“Come with me Katari,” she said jovially “I’m eager to hear about your new abilities,” Katari jumped in surprise but chuckled at the Inquisitor’s grin, 

“Alright,” she said. 

 

Solas glanced at Dorian as the two walked away, Dorian scoffed

“Oh don’t worry Solas, I’m not going to teach her necromancy while you’re away,”  he said, Solas fought the urge to roll his eyes, 

“I am more worried about your tendency to throw fireballs at her,” he said wryly, Dorian sighed,

“Are you still not over that? She wasn’t hurt,” he defended, Solas aura lashed out- sharply shoving him away- Dorian staggered in surprise,

“I  **know** she wasn’t hurt-  _ This _ is about you setting a poor example,” Snapped Solas, Dorian folded his arms, 

“I thought that maybe we were moving past this but it’s clear that you can’t look past the fact I’m from Tevinter,” he said. Solas shook his head, 

“This isn’t about  _ you  _ or where you come from. This is about you teaching her that mages are nothing more than brutes!” he said stepping forward, their arguing was beginning to draw attention. Varric- who was nearby- stepped between them, 

“Whoa! What’s happening here?”  he asked- He’d stepped between Fenris and Anders too many times to be afraid of magical attacks. He glanced back and forth between the two, sure they had different opinions but generally speaking the acted perfectly civil towards one another. Dorian answered first,

“Solas seems to think I’m a bad influence on Katari,” he said gesturing to the elf in disdain, Varric sighed  _ of course he does.  _ Solas shook his head, 

“I don’t- Katari is perfectly capable of taking care of herself-” It was at this moment the Hawke decided to walk down from the battlements, completely ignorant to the situation at hand. 

“Solas! How about that spar we mentioned!” Luckily this seemed to distract the two mages from their argument. Solas looked up in surprise, nodding graciously

“Very well Champion,” he said. Varric caught sight of Fenris who was close behind Hawke, glaring suspiciously at Dorian. Varric turned to Dorian quickly,

“I think you should get out of here, Sparkler,” Dorian furrowed his brows,

“What?” but then he caught sight of the angry elf, “-Perhaps that would be best,” he said before scuttled away- absolutely not staring at Iron Bull in the straining yard as he did so. 

Evelyn led Katari through the main hall. 

“I’ve been dying to talk about what you said to Vivienne- three weeks I had to act professionally around her! Maker It was almost impossible!” Katari chuckled in surprise at Evelyn’s change of character, she caught Josephine in the corner of her eye.  _ Oh no,  _ thought Katari  _ she must think we-  _ She smiled brightly at her, elbowing Evelyn in the side.

“Josephine!” said Katari “Want to join us for a chat?” she asked. Josephine looked surprised, 

“I couldn’t possibly. I have so much to do-” she began, Evelyn shot her a disarming grin,

“Oh come on Josephine! Maker knows you need a break!” she said, Josephine softened, 

“Well I suppose I could spare  _ a few _ minutes,” she relented. 

“Perfect said, Evelyn. 

  
Katari had brought the bottle of wine to Evelyn’s chambers- deciding that they all need some time to wind down. Josephine actually _squealed_ in delight when she stepped into the room bottle in hand and Evelyn gave a nod of approval. Katari tossed it to Evelyn -who caught it adeptly- before hopping to take off her boots,

“You really don’t have to take your shoes off, Katari,” said Evelyn, Katari shook her head. One boot coming of with an audible  _ pop.  _

“It’s just what I do,” she said, placing the two delicately beside the door before walking up the stairs. Josephine and Evelyn were sat on the large bed, giggling like choir girls,

“And then She said  _ then beg…”  _ Causing Josephine to squeal with laughter, 

“Oh, mistress Katari! You didn’t?” she chortled, Katari gave a small smile,

“I thought you would have heard about already,” she said, Josephine's cheeks were pink,

“Oh, I did! But I didn’t realize you actually said-” before giggling again. Josephine’s laugh was infectious for it wasn’t long before Katari and Evelyn were laughing too.

“She was sour for weeks!” said Evelyn in glee, popping open the bottle and taking a sip,

“Maker! Katari how did you get your hands on this?” she asked looking at the bottle approvingly, Katari sat down on the floor.

“Traded it in exchange for what I had in my flask,” she said, Josephine patted the bed beside her, 

“Oh, Katari! Don’t sit on the floor!” she said beckoning her over, Evelyn shuffled over to give her more room, Hesitantly she got up and perched on the edge of the bed. Josephine Followed Katari’s suit and delicately slipped off her shoes, and gently took the bottle from Evelyn, “This is lovely,” she hummed, She had surprised Evelyn by drinking straight from the bottle, she caught the Inquisitors eyes, “I am Antivan, Evelyn,” she said causing Katari to chuckle. Evelyn looked at Katari curiously, 

“So how did you come to know Antivan, Katari?” she asked, Josephine also seemed intrigued. Katari paused for a moment, 

“Leliana mentioned that I had the trust of one of her friends when I first came to the inquisition,” she said, the two women nodded -they remembered their first conversation in the war room. “Well, that friend was Zevran Arainai. I traveled with him for a month or so,” she said. There was a pregnant pause, Josephine and Evelyn exchanged looks of surprise, 

“Shut up! You did not!” said Evelyn, Katari chuckled, “Are you telling me that you know a friend of Nymn Brosca  _ and  _ you were rescued by The Champion of Kirkwall?” she asked in disbelief. Josephine’s hand was covering her mouth, 

“The Crow?” she breathed, Katari shrugged. 

“I suppose,” she said, lying back on the bed, propping up her head on one arm. Josephine had heard tales of Zevran from Leliana, Hesitantly she whispered,

“Did you… well you know- with him?” Evelyn spat out her wine, and Katari sat up in surprise, 

“No!” she said, her ears going bright pink. Evelyn, rose a brow,

“Are you telling me you had an attractive Antivan hanging around for a month and you didn’t take him to bed?” she asked skeptically, Katari shot Evelyn a glance,

“I could ask the same of you,” she said under her breath causing Evelyn to spit out her wine  _ again.  _ Luckily Josephine hadn’t heard, 

“That was a low blow even from you, Katari,” she muttered. Katari shrugged,

“Zevran is a very good friend- nothing more,” she said with finality. Josephine seemed to be enjoying the wine and this conversation too much, 

“What of warden Blackwall?” she asked cheekily, Katari didn’t think her cheeks could go any redder, 

“I haven’t- there isn’t-” she didn’t know what to say, Blackwall was attractive and she had certainly looked but that didn’t mean that anything would come from it. Evelyn bumped her shoulder against hers, 

“Oh come on Katari! We’ve all seen the way he looks at you and by the way your blushing I’m certain that you at least find him attractive,” she said, Katari looked down at her hands.

Josephine and Evelyn were watching her intently as she fiddled. They were both fond of Katari, her youth and innocence were endearing to them- something you didn’t expect from a pit fighter.

“I have never been with a  _ man.  _ That alone is intimidating,” she admitted softly, Josephine’s expression softened, gently she placed a hand on Katari’s shoulder, Evelyn’s expression, however, grew excited, 

“But you _have_ been with Women!” she said, “Katari, you are full of surprises!” Katari groaned, maybe the wine was a bad idea. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I have also started a short game of thrones fic- Don't worry this one come top priority, just thought I should mention in case you were wondering why this update took a little longer than usual.


	45. establishing dominance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas spars with Hawke and proves to be more talented than most might think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait guys! boy! was this a fun chapter to write. So much was going on! I hope you guys enjoy!

“So, Solas,” said Hawke as the circled one another, “Katari mentioned that you are a fade specialist,” he said, twirling his staff behind him. Solas nodded, 

“I am, and you?” he asked. This might have come across as a pleasant conversation to some but those who had spent long enough on a battlefield saw what it truly was; two opponents sizing the other up.

“I am a force mage,” said Hawke, Solas tilted his head as they continued to circle.

“Ah, yes. It is something Kirkwall has become known for”  he said. It was true enough too- Kirkwall had an abundance of Force mages and before the destruction of the Chantry, the Kirkwall Circle had refined what had been a previously unheard of school of magic. It seemed fitting that It’s Champion specialized in it. They didn’t take their eyes off one another, the atmosphere growing thick with anticipation.

“Well, we are a force to be reckoned with,” smirked Hawke and with that, They sprung into action. 

 

Solas knew, what Hawke was expecting; spirit spells, a few arcane bolts and a barrier or two. So what did Solas do? He launched a force spell straight into the champion's chest. Hawke staggered back in surprise,  _ what the fuck?  _ He thought before recovering in time to swing the blade of his staff towards Solas’ midsection, but it only clattered against a barrier. Hawke grinned,  _ Finally.  _ He thought “This is going to be fun,” 

 

The fight had drawn considerable attention from passers-by. The champion of Kirkwall and an inner circle member? No one would miss this for anything. Fenris stood alongside Varric at the side, both of them watching with rapt attention. Only someone who had known Fenris as long as Varric could recognize the worry in Fenris’ voice,

“So, Solas. What can you tell me about him?” he asked, Varric chuckled.

“Don’t you worry, Broody. Hawke can handle him just fine,” he reassured the elf. Fenris snapped at him,

“I am  _ not  _ worried. Solas doesn’t stand a chance against Hawke,” he said folding his arms, Varric shook his head.

“I don’t know, Fenris. Solas is a better fighter than you might think,”  he said just as Solas sidestepped a gravitic ring. Fenris thought back to when they had first come across Katari and Solas on that slaver’s ship,

“I hear he is also talented with a bow,” said Fenris. Smirking when Hawke obliterated one of Solas’s barriers, Varric furrowed his brows in confusion, he looked up at Fenris in surprise

“Solas? You must be mistaken- he as magey as mages get,” said Varric, It was Fenris turn to look confused, Varric was so rarely wrong when it came to judging a person’s character. He was certain that Katari had mentioned Solas’ using a bow. 

 

Hawke’s staff clacked against Solas’ 

“You’re holding back,” accused Hawke, Solas’ eye’s widened a fraction before they narrowed,

“Am I?” he asked, Hawke knocked Solas to the ground. Solas was up in a second,

“Why?” asked Hawke. “Where is the mage that took out half of a Slaver’s frigate?” he launched a force attack straight at Solas. Solas sidestepped it, frosting the ground at Hawke’s feet so that the champion slipped to the ground and fell. 

“He’s right here, Champion,”

 

Katari had thought it best to leave Evelyn and Josephine alone, she had got the ball rolling and with luck, it wouldn’t be long before Evelyn acted on her feelings towards the ambassador. She chuckled to herself,  _ since when did I become a matchmaker?  _ She thought. She had taken the bottle with her of course, she liked the couple but she didn’t like them  _ that much.  _ It was probably a good idea that neither one of them drank much more anyway, She could only hope they weren’t needed for urgent business anytime soon. Katari made her way down the steps quite happily, her ear twitching as the sound of fighting got louder and louder. Katari tilted her head before taking a detour onto the battlements instead so that she may watch the training grounds from a higher vantage point. 

 

She blinked in surprise when she saw that it was Solas and Hawke fighting, leaning over the stanchion she watched the fight with a bird-like fascination. The two certainly differed from one another. Hawke had all the subtlety of a rampaging bull, charging and attacking with a stamina that seemed endless. Garret was high energy, enthusiastic and quick to adapt. Solas’ movements however where fluid and graceful, possessing an assuredness that came only with decades of experience. It was certainly an exciting thing to watch. She placed the bottle gently on the ground beside her, careful not to knock it over as she turned back to watch the fight.  

 

Solas caught sight of Katari in the corner of his eye as he threw up a barrier, she smiled down at him from the battlements and he could not help but send her a small one in return. Distracted he was almost caught by one of Garret’s gravitational fields. He internally scolded himself before freezing Garret’s staff to his hand mid-twirl to stop him from casting a spell. 

 

Fenris had caught the interaction, glancing between them curiously.

“He and Katari are close aren’t they?” he asked Varric, Varric was focused on the fight.

“Sorry?” he asked, turning to look at Fenris. The elf nodded in their direction, Varric caught on.

“Those two?” he asked looking at them “They get along well enough I suppose. It’s Dorian and The Iron bull she tends to hang around with,” Fenris rose a brow,

“A tal-vashoth, a qunari and a  _ Magister _ ?”  he asked disbelievingly. Varric shrugged,

“A bizarre one isn’t it? You’d be surprised, despite their differences those three are as thick as thieves,” he chuckled. Fenris still wasn’t pleased about the Magister lingering around but everyone had done their best to keep the two separate up to now- he was however surprised that Katari kept such company. 

 

Solas hadn’t planned on winning as first- defeating the Champion of Kirkwall would have brought too much attention on him- perhaps he would have let them tie as not to wound his pride by losing. Suddenly however he felt the compulsion to win wash over him and his heart pound a little faster.  _ Where did this sudden need to prove his superiority come from?  _ He wondered, _ he _ knew that he was more powerful, so who was he trying to impress? His thoughts were cut short be a force spell launching into his upper torso. He grunted. Something dangerous flashing in his eyes.

Katari was leaning over the battlement with eagerness and anticipation in her eyes, her breath hitched her eyes open as Solas steadied himself. The courtyard suddenly silent as He slammed his staff into the ground and the earth  _ rumbled  _ beneath their feet. Fenris looked up in alarm as Hawke was flung to the ground- it was not long before the champion was back on his feet, however, eyes wide open in excitement and in surprise. The fighting continued. The crowd watching as the champion was slowly pushed back into a corner, their staves clashing as melee became the only suitable option. Solas suffered a jab to the stomach, blocking the next one the came towards his face before finally aiming one of his own at the Champion’s neck.

 

Katari let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, a grin spreading across her features just as a cheer broke the stunned silence. She made her way down the steps, approaching just in time to see Garret enthusiastically shake Solas’ hand; much to Solas surprise and amusement. Fenris was quickly beside his lover’s side,

“I’ve never met anyone who is so enthusiastically beaten,” said Fenris, Garrett fluttered his eyelashes,

“I’m a glutton for punishment,” he jested, Fenris merely rolled his eyes, shooting Solas both an apologetic and mildly threatening glance- a look only he could manage to accomplish.

“You should see him with dragons,” he muttered as he steered Hawke away who was now halfway into a passionate rant about winged reptiles. Katari gave an amused shake of her head,  _ He and Bull would get on like a house on fire.  _ She thought.

 

Solas heard someone approach, chest heaving he glanced up to see Katari approach. The surge of pride he felt from his victory was undeniable, he couldn’t help but swagger a little as he met her halfway. 

“Katari,” he said evenly, Katari grinned at him. A bright beaming grin that rendered him stunned for a moment. 

“Taking to the pits, are we? I must be setting an example,” she said. Solas glanced down and rose a brow,

“Going barefoot, are we? I must be setting my own,” he quipped, Katari glanced down at her feet as if she had forgotten. Sure enough, her feet were bare. Delicate, white skin buried in the mud. she chuckled in recognition.

“I am afraid they are being held, hostage by a mildly Intoxicated Herald of Andraste,” she explained, his eyebrow remained raised in question but the hint of a smile tugged at his lips. 

“Has she made any demands?” he asked, Katari gave dry smile,

“Only my bottle of wine, Alas I fear I may never see them again,” she said, Solas glanced down to the bottle in her hand,

“She drives a hard bargain,” he quipped. Though he would never admit it out loud he rather liked seeing Katari barefoot, her hair pulled back into a knot so that her ears were on display.  He enjoyed these conversations; they shared a dry sense of humor that many didn’t. 

 

Katari had finished what was left in her bottle (with a little help from Solas) by the time Varric approached them later, Sera surprisingly was also close behind. Trouble was surely afoot with Sera nearby. 

“Day drinking and Pit fighting, Chuckles? The older one sets a bad example, not the other way around,” said the dwarf with a waggle of his finger. Katari rose a brow,

“A spar is hardly a pit fight Varric,” she said. Pit fights were muddy, bloody affairs fought with bare knuckles and elbows- a far cry from the elegant display they had all just witnessed. Even though she had said something similar herself, It seemed to possess different connotations when the term was used by others. Sera blew a raspberry, 

“Yeah, not a bunch of stick-wiggling stiffs,” She agreed “Katari fights proper messy,” Solas ignored the comment though Katari chuckled good-naturedly at the blonde’s antics. The qunari had spent too much time around mercenaries and dockworkers to be bothered by a loud mouth. 

“Can we help you with something?” asked Solas, suspicious as to what the duo’s intentions were. Varric shot solas a curious glance,

“Yeah actually, Chuckles. What is this I hear about you being an archer?” asked the Dwarf, Solas exchanged a look of recognition- clearly they had heard about the slaver’s ship. 

“Solas was suffering from a smite when we escaped- a bow was his second option,” explained Katari. Solas nodded,

“Needs must,” said Solas simply, “I am competent enough with one,”. Sera elbowed Varric in the side,

“See! Told ya it was just some cock ‘n’ bull story!” she said before mumbling _ “Fine archer my arse,” _ under her breath. Solas sighed,  _ ironic.  _ He thought  _ that a single elf could summon a level of irritation what it took a century of humans to achieve.  _ Varric didn’t seem to be buying it.

“Come on Chuckles! There has to be more to it than that,” Urged Varric.  _ Looking for a story I see _ , thought Solas, Knowing the dwarf would never be satisfied with any answer he gave. 

“I’m afraid that is all it is,” said Solas. Katari’s aura was doing something strange, it seemed to lurch to one side, Solas followed its direction in the corner of his eye. A bow and quiver were on the ground nearby, edging under a wooden target. He glanced over at Katari in question, she raised a brow in a question of her own before she glanced down at the empty bottle in her hand.  _ Ah.  _ thought Solas.  _ Very well.  _ He gave a slight nod and Katari grinned. Varric was about to ask them about the interaction when Katari launched the bottle across the courtyard, an arrow shot it out of the air- shattering it into a thousand pieces. Varric and Sera’s mouth were hanging open as Solas placed the bow back on the ground,

“I suppose I’m not all that bad really,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ended up being much longer than I intended, it was only supposed to be a scene but it ended up being a whole chapter. 'C'est la vie' I guess. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	46. Idle talk and heart to hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas' traveling companions get on his nerves and Katari has a heart to heart with Dorian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! sneak attack chapter. Bet no one was expecting that, with no further ado- here is the next chapter.

  


\---

 

Evelyn left a week later for the Frostbacks with Bull, Sera, Blackwall, and Solas. It was the first time he found himself wanting to stay at Skyhold, which was odd because usually, he looked forward to these kinds of missions. Unfortunately, he was only mage available, Vivienne was gone and Dorian had taken a great emotional toll after Evelyn had returned from Redcliffe with him- He wasn’t sure what had happened other than “Family business” but whatever it was it had rendered Dorian unusually quiet. Solas wasn’t really sure why Bull needed to come along either, Evelyn had only muttered some nonsense about bears before walking off to pack her horse.

 

“Hey furrows,” Said Bull, Blackwall glanced over at him,

“What? Me?” asked the Warden bewildered. Solas rode alongside them quietly, patting his horse reassuringly on the neck whenever they path got tricky.

“Yes,” said Bull “Furrows between the eyes. Moping. Lost in your own issues.” the qunari said, gesturing to Blackwall’s eyebrows. Blackwall shifted in his saddle,

“Can’t a man think without being judged for it?” he asked, irritation tingling in his voice.

“Oh, I’m not judging. I was going to say you’re pretty good at it. I can’t pull that off,” said Bull, unaffected. The warden’s eyebrows rose,

“A tragedy for sure,” quipped the Warden. Solas found it all perfectly amusing until it wasn’t. Bull shrugged,

“I mean If you're going to brood. You might as well reap the benefits,” he said, the warden was growing confused as to what the qunari was trying to get at.

“What benefits?” asked Blackwall. The qunari wiggled his eyebrows,

“The ladies,” Sera seemed to have started listening in at “ladies”

“Yeah! Worked for Katari didn’t it?” Giggled the elf. Solas lost grip on the reins for a moment, _what?_ Bull smirked,

“That’s right! Don’t play coy warden. I’m told you were practically undressing each other with your eyes when you first met,” said Iron bull. Even Evelyn chuckled- _Was I the only one how hadn’t noticed this?_ Thought Solas, he _had_ been awfully distracted by her magic at the time. Blackwall gave an uneasy chuckle but otherwise didn’t say anything, Bull leaned over to tap the warden on the shoulder playfully, “Come on! Spill the beans, have you tested out her horns as handles yet?” Solas felt a little queasy although he didn’t know why. _How dare they?_ He thought, _How dare they reduce her to some object of pleasure so unashamedly?!_

“What? No! Why would you insinuate such a thing?” burst the Warden, awkwardly adjusting his collar. _At least Blackwall had the decency to look scandalized,_ thought Solas he didn’t know what he might have done had the Warden laughed… or said yes. Bull, however, didn’t seem to be buying it,

“Really?”  He asked “I’ve seen how you watch her fight,” said Bull. Sera rolled her eyes,

“It’s not even like that!” she said “It’s all sugary and sweet like! Looked like he wanted to recite poetry or something when he first saw her,” Bull hummed,

“So it’s the knight in shining armor thing she goes for? Huh. Never took her as the type,”   _knight in shining armor._ Scoffed Solas at the ridiculousness of it all, before frowning _that was what Katari deserved, wasn’t it? A good man or woman who would look after her?_ The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.  “Hey Solas!” said Bull, Solas looked up in surprise,

“Sorry?” he asked, he mustn't have heard something,

“You spent a few weeks with Katari on that ship? Did she divulge any heartfelt feelings in regards to the warden here? No, _Tell Blackwall I love him,_ or anything?”  Now they had the nerve to involve him in this?

“No,” said Solas sharply, barely concealing the disgust in his voice. Bull rose his brows in surprise,

“Why so defensive, Solas?” he asked, “Don’t tell me _you_ were the one divulging juicy secrets!” Evelyn laughed. _You have no idea_ thought Solas. Sera scoffed,

“He’s just weirded out by us talking about bumping uglies with someone who isn’t an elf,” she said.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” snapped Solas. _That wasn’t true, was it?_ Thought Solas, sure he wasn’t attracted to non-elves but he wasn’t disgusted by them. _I’m not attracted to shoes either but I can still tell when a pair looks good._ He thought He could see why Evelyn would be considered pretty with her dainty jaw and round eyes and Katari… well, Katari was lovely. Katari with her white skin and hair, Katari with her strong thighs and small waist, Katari with her- well one could understand Solas’ point. Besides, It would be immoral to entertain such relations with even an elf in this era; after all, they still weren't… whole.

“I’m not being ridiculous!” defended Sera “I saw that elf girl leave your bedroom last week! Genevieve from the Kitchens,” she said. Solas went a little still when he realized how that have must have looked; he hadn’t thought that one of his spies could be mistaken for a lover.

“Solas!” said Bull “You old dog!” laughed Bull. Solas wasn’t sure whether he was relieved or horrified that the conversation was turned on him. _It is going to be a long, long month._ Thought Solas.

 

***

Katari gently knocked on Dorian’s door. She hadn’t seen him since he had returned from Redcliffe, Knowing only a little about what had happened.

“Dorian,” she said “Dorian is it all right if I come in?” she asked, there was a long pause.

“If you must,” was the mumbled reply from behind the would. Katari quietly pushed the door open, Dorian was sat in an armchair, hair ruffled and eyes red. Katari didn’t ask him if he was alright- anyone with a pair of eyes could see that He wasn’t.

“Oh, Dorian,” she said softly before closing the door behind her. Approaching the chair he sat in and placed herself on the ground, “Whatever happened?” she asked, Dorian, sighed.

“My father is what happened,” he chuckled bitterly. Katari nodded gently, he had mentioned how was estranged from his father before, _so that’s who he had gone to meet at Redcliffe_. Thought Katari,

“What did he want?” she asked,

“Me. He wanted me to come back home,” he scoffed. Katari furrowed her brows,

“Why now?” she asked- It had sounded like they hadn’t talked in years when Dorian had mentioned him. Dorian ran I hand through his hair,

“Maker knows,” he said “He probably just got tired of me ignoring him,” Katari hummed,

“Do you want to talk about it or shall we get drunk?” she asked wryly, Dorian snorted. Turning to look at Katari fondly,

“Team shifty to the rescue?” he asked, Katari smiled,

“Team shifty to the rescue,” she said. Dorian sighed,

“It’s probably best to talk about it, isn’t it? For the soul or something?” he said “Maybe we should do both,” Katari patted him on the knee,

“That I can get on board with,” she said before reaching into her cloak. Dorian glanced at her,

“Don’t tell me you have _Another_ bottle of wine under there,” he said wryly. Katari shook her head,

“We’re going to need something much stronger than drink,” she said, Taking out a pouch and her tinder box, Dorian chuckled.

“Elfroot?” he asked, “Why does that not surprise me?”

 

They found themselves sprawled out on Dorian’s bedroom floor an hour later, light smoke filling the room. Dorian took an inhale,

“And that’s that,” he said finishing his story, Katari raised her own to her lips.

“I thought they weren’t so fussed about same-sex relations in Tevinter,” Dorian exhaled a ring of smoke, giggling at the little trick.

“You don’t seem surprised at me,” he said, Katari shrugged,

“You stare at the shirtless men in the training ground too much for me not to be,” she said simply. Dorian snorted,

“I suppose you’re right about that,” he said before answering her question, “I can sleep with other men in Tevinter just fine. We just can’t…. We are not allowed to love each other back home,” he said quietly, before casting her a glance. She seemed to be considering his words with a great deal of thought, “you’re not bothered by it, are you? Me bedding other men” he asked, He knew that most Tal-vashoth weren’t but he knew better than most not to assume. Katari shook her head, taking another inhale,

“I’d be rather hypocritical if I was,” she said. Dorian laughed in surprise, shoving her playfully,

“Katari! You never cease to surprise me!” he said. Katari chuckled, remembering how Evelyn had said something similar.

“Is it so surprising?” she asked, It wasn’t uncommon for Tal-vashoth and Qunari to have an open interest in those of the same gender. Dorian took inhale of his own joint,

“I thought you had an interest in men that’s all, I’ve seen you glance at men in the training grounds too you know,” he said, Katari nodded,

“I am attracted to men too, though I have only ever slept with women,” she said, there was no sense in hiding it. Dorian shoved her again, almost making her swallow her joint rather than smoke it,

“Not so innocent after all!” He chuckled, Katari had never understood that.

“I’ve had sex, Dorian. How old do you think I am?” she said, sweeping ash off her vest and putting the joint back in her mouth. Dorian shrugged,

“Twenty-two?” he said “Give or take a couple of years. _How_ old are you?” he asked curiously, Katari mimicked him by shrugging herself,

“No idea,” she said, Dorian nodded, It wasn’t all that odd he supposed. Qunari seemed to care little for such things in and out of the Qun. It was perhaps odd that she didn’t give him an estimate but He imagined that his guess was pretty close.  

“You’re young and pretty, Katari. Do have a sweetheart? Or do you take a similar approach to Bull?” he asked. Katari chuckled,

“Sweetheart? Me? I don’t think so,” she said causing him to frown, “I have never fallen in love,” she said, Dorian glanced at her.

“But you have had lovers?” he asked curiously. Katari exhaled with a nod,

“Three to be exact- If you can call them that,” she said. Tal-vashoth and Qunari had a very open approach to sex, she was unabashed in admitting it. Katari spoke as if all was right but there was a sad note to her voice, something buried under false contentedness. _Katari was so young,_ thought Dorian, _It seemed odd to think she might have felt heartbreak._

“Tell me about your first,” said Dorian. Katari rose a brow,

“A rather bold request,” she said “Why?” she asked, Dorian, shrugged.

“Because I’m curious. You tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine,” he said, Katari seemed to think for a moment,

“You first,” she said, Dorian scoffed,

“I asked first,” he defended childishly. Katari smirked,

“Exactly. You answer first and I’ll answer second,” Dorian rolled his eyes.

“Oh, very well,” he said, he inhaled a puff of smoke before exhaling it again. “I was seventeen, young and curious. He was another apprentice like me and we hit it off. We fumbled awkwardly in his bedroom until we got good at it and then eventually he went to study under a magister halfway across tevinter, the end. Now spill,” Katari laughed at his hurried description, puffs of smoke coming out off her mouth.  She thought of a few moments before speaking

“I mentioned how Shokrakar was very protective of me,” she said, Dorian nodded for her to continue, she sighed. _I can’t believe I’m telling him this,_ she thought to herself. “It kept away potential suitors- I had become a piece of forbidden fruit, I suppose- which was all very well and good until it was _me_ who began to grow frustrated by it,” Dorian laughed, It was funny to imagine Katari being cockblocked by some old mercenary leader. “One evening a woman named Asaaranda came to my tent while Shokrakar was away,” she said, raising the joint to her lips. “She propositioned me and I -irritated by Shokrakar- said yes to spite him,” Dorian felt this story going somewhere unpleasant,

“You don’t have to tell me,” he said, feeling guilty for pushing her. Katari waved him away,

“It’s alright, Dorian,”  she said before continuing. “When I awoke the next morning I discovered that there was a bet on who could bed me. When Shokrakar found out he was going to kill her- It’s only because I stopped him that she escaped with her life,” Dorian was stunned,

“Katari,” he said quietly “I don’t know what to say,” Katari smiled at him softly.

“You know the funny thing is- I wasn’t even angry at her. I knew I didn’t love her, I knew that there was nothing more to it than sex but when I found out about the bet… I hurt. It hurt that Shokrakar had been right and I felt foolish for hurting because it was all my fault,” She felt a weight lift off of her shoulders- she had never told anyone that before, not even Zevran. A tear ran down her cheek.

“It wasn’t your fault, Katari,” said Dorian, Grabbed her free hand, squeezing it. “I’m glad that you trust me enough to tell me,” he said. Katari smiled,

“You know until Asaara died- my falcon- I had never cried before,” she said. Dorian’s eyes widened,

“Never?” he asked. Katari shook her head,

“Not that I can remember,” she said. They talked a while longer after that, the elfroot loosening his tongues,

“There is always Blackwall,” he said, Katari turned to look at him confused, “I see how you two look at each other- He’s a good man. Come on- you can’t tell me you haven’t considered _climbing the wall,_ ” said Dorian, giggling at his own joke.

“How about you Dorian? Have you Considered _riding the Bull?”_ she quipped. Dorian shoved her again. _Hard._

“I can’t believe you went there!” he said, Katari, laughed.

“Oh, I went there,” said Katari, taking another inhale. Dorian looked at her,

“I mean it,” he said “you could have almost anyone you wanted, Sera, Harding, Rylen, Cullen maybe-” Katari burst out laughing,

“Cullen?” she asked “yes a mage qunari and an ex-templar from Kirkwall- that’s a good idea,” she said, Dorian chuckled,

“Okay maybe not Cullen,” he agreed. The two continued to laugh and joke for hours after mainly at there own expense. She even told him how she had so little memories (which he took surprisingly well) and Dorian shared how secretly, deep, deep down… he really did love Ferelden beer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been told I portray Solas' uniquely- I don't mind that at all. I suppose it's because I view him a little differently from most people. Many label Solas as a nerd but consider this;  
> *He talks to ghosts  
> *He is an artist  
> *wears animal bones  
> *started a rebellion  
> * likes wolves  
> \- Solas is like edgy as hell and I find it funny that People label him as the nerd (not that he isn't nerdy because he is) when Dorian studied time travel and rearranged an entire library. Just saying. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	47. Eye to eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vivienne returns to Skyhold and strikes a bargain to Katari

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back guys! Woo hoo! I have vanquished writers block and return to you with yet another installment!

 

\---

 

The day was grey when Vivienne returned, a foul storm had swept up from the south and wind battered Skyhold’s walls, she rode through the courtyard, circling idly for a moment before dismounting-  immaculate as the wind had merely avoided her as the had approached. She marched into Skyhold with strong confident strides, befitting only one who walked with purpose in her heels. Nobles bowed graciously as she passed, she turned to an idle messenger,

“Send for mistress Katari at once,” 

 

It was a while later before the small qunari darkened her door- or should I say window? they were on the balcony after all. Katari stood silently for a moment, her eyes scanning the enchanter for an answer. Vivienne said nothing either, her back to the qunari as she overlooked the courtyard. She finally spoke,

“I did not call you here without reason,” said the enchanter, casting a glance back at the woman stood behind her- Katari remained silent. The enchanter gazed ahead once more before her eyes returned the white figure. “I wish to make you my student,” she said. Unvexed, Katari spoke softly.

“Solas is my teacher,” she said without hesitation, The enchanter rose a brow,

“And what of Dorian? What is he to you?” she asked curiously,

“He is my friend. They both are,” she said. The enchanter hummed lightly,

“And I am not?” she asked, Katari remained still.

“Are you not?” asked the Qunari, Vivienne straightened herself,

“I am your ally,”  She said before turning to the qunari fully. “I don't wish to teach you magic, Katari. You will be my student in the way of The Great Game,” she said. An upward flick of Katari's ears was her only indication of surprise,

“Why?” she asked, Vivienne, rose a brow. 

“Do not play dumb Katari,” said the Enchanter, Silver eyes snapped to her hers, “I know you are not,” she said. “I saw it in the way you dealt with Brooker. I saw it in the way you spoke to me- It may not be the  _ Great _ Game that you’ve been playing but you’ve been playing it for a while…  haven’t you?” she asked, Katari’s gaze was unwavering.

“I am a woman and a qunari, Enchanter- I have no doubt been playing it since I was born,”  she answered. The Enchanter lifted her head, something akin to satisfaction in her eyes,

“Then why do you seem so surprised, my dear?” asked Vivienne, Katari folded her arms behind her back,

“What do you stand to gain from teaching me?” said Katari. She hadn’t learned the ins and outs like Vivienne- through elders and courtier life- She had learned it in fighting pits and card games; and what did she learn you ask? Above all things- You  _ never  _ reveal your hand. The Enchanter turned away once more, as still as an ebony chess piece. 

“The game has been a stalemate for years, my dear- it only changes when you add a new piece to the board,” she said, clasping her hands behind her. “Halamarshal is mere months away, my dear. Do we have an accord?” she asked. Katari paused for a moment, 

“Until Halamarshal Vivienne. After then, however, what use would we have of one another?” she said, Vivienne nodded,

“Until Halamarshal Katari, That much I can agree,” 

 

“You did what?!” exclaimed Dorian, pacing back and forth throughout her room. Katari sat on the edge of her chair, smoking a joint. 

“I agreed,” she said. Dorian shot her a withered glance,

“I know that Katari but why? Why surrender yourself to her whims?”  he asked, Katari, pondered it for a moment,

“Because when I walk into that ballroom Dorian, I will be the first-ever Tal Vashoth to do so. When I walk in there- I will be the face of all my people,” she said. Dorian softened at her words, It was indeed an almighty burden to bare. “We have enough enemies as it is Dorian-  and I will not have us appear as uncivilized and easy targets for Orleasian aristocracy,” she finished softly. Dorian kneeled down in front of her, 

“Katari, Katari. Why do you burden yourself so?” he asked, his heart panging when he realized how seldom happiness must have been in her short year of a life, Katari grasped the hand he had placed on her knee,

“Dorian, Dorian. I have little more to my name than burdens, whatever else would I busy myself with?” she asked in return, he glanced up at her earnestly, 

“Love!” he said “Love, Romance! Friends and Family! Katari- you could have it all! You have strength, intelligence, and beauty. If only you had the ambition or else you’d conquer the world,” he said. Katari gave him a bittersweet smile,

“I don’t want the world, Dorian,” she said quietly, he looked at her fondly,

“Then what do you want, Katari?” he asked, Her eyes glazed over,

“The truth,” she said “the truth,” He knew what she meant when she said that, she had confessed it to him before. She wanted to know who she truly was- more than anything. He smiled sadly too- the one thing she wanted seemed to be the one thing destiny was dead  set on never letting her have,

“What did she mean when she mentioned the way you dealt with Brooker?” He asked. Katari sighed. 

“When he attacked me I didn’t respond. I allowed him to do his worst,” she said, he listened intently. “I do not fight unless it is for my life or for money- I set myself boundaries, it’s what separates me from a common thug- and when he attacked me I stuck to them. Even after Haven, many considered me little better than a creature or beast. I knew that had I attacked in kind I would have only proved to be the monster they thought I was, instead I let him lose control. I let him show everyone how things really were…” she said, Dorian nodded.

“You let him show that he was the only real monster there,” he said.

“Indeed,” 


	48. a deceptive cover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari lends Cullen a helping hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this instead of sleeping. Original chapter note, I know but I am way to tired to right more. Hope you guys enjoy it.

 

Katari was enjoying the view from the battlements one night- an early moon signaling the beginning of autumn and a thick layer of fog blanketed the lower mountain slopes. Vivienne had been right when she had said that the winter ball was only of a few months away and for the first time that Katari could remember she felt the cold chase a lone shiver down her spine. The heavy weight of reality was sinking in; come springtime, Katari would be two _“years old”_ and yet she had come no closer to discovering who she was. The clothes she wore had been gifted to her, her weapons a payment for the work she had done on her travels and even her name was merely a nickname- a name bestowed on her by others. The world suddenly felt quite large. She was smoking (of course) an action so familiar to her now that she did it more for comfort than enjoyment, She lifted the twist of white paper to her lips, smoke drifting off in the breeze. Despite her active mind, the setting was indeed rather serene- a crash came from Cullen’s office. Her ears snapped up to attention, silently she snuffed out her joint on the stone and strode in the direction of the heavy wooden door.

 

“Cullen?” she called softly, sharply flinging open the door. She stood stunned for a moment at the sight that greeted her. The office was in a state of disarray,  the solid oak desk had been cleared of all ornaments and papers -most of which now lay scattered on the ground- and it had been skewed slightly at an angle. Cullen was sat down on the floor, his back propped up against the wall and his skin covered in sweat and his breathing heavy.

“Cullen!” said Katari in alarm, dashing over to his side, he seemed to only have just noticed her, his eyes wide open in horror. He moved to get up but Katari was already crouching down beside him, her eyes quick and analytical as she pressed the back of her hand against his forehead,

“Symptoms,” it wasn’t a question so much as a command, Cullen creased his brows further,

“I’m not sick,” he gritted out, his chest heaving under the strain of breathing, “You can’t help. I’m not-” but Katari was checking his pulse- which was charging faster than a Fereldan forder by now.

“I’m a mercenary, Cullen- I know what withdrawal looks like,” she interrupted him. He seemed to grow panicked,

“You can’t tell anyone,” he breathed, Katari frowned a little. She grabbed a candle, waving it in front of his eyes to check the dilation of his pupils.

“I’m not going to- nor am I going to ask what you were taking but I’m going to need to know your symptoms if I am to help you,” she said firmly. His surprise masked any relief that he might have felt but he relented,

“I feel hot. Shaky- I can’t stop shaking. It’s hard to breathe,” Katari nodded briskly before getting to her feet,

“I’m coming right back- don’t move, lest you worsen it,” she said before practically bolting out the door of his office.

 

Katari was plucking leaves from the herbs and plants she had brought into her room- they had flourished by the large window and she had the beginnings of a fine collection- when she felt a familiar presence beside her, she turned in surprise.

“Cole,” she breathed. The poor boy was beside himself,

“Hot- won’t give in. It hurts, hurts so much. Boulder on my chest, skin tightening,” he rambled, “I want to help,” Katari placed a hand on his shoulder. Cole was probably the last person the ex-templar wanted to see want right now,

“You know how he gets nervous around you,” she said gently, Cole looked like he was about to cry,

“But he needs help,” he pleaded. Katari nodded-

“Alright, Cole. I need water- ice cold if possible, rags and a mortar and pestle- can you get those for me?” Cole nodded before vanishing.

Katari had run back to Cullen’s office- finding him in the same state she had left him in.

“How long has it been since you stopped taking it?” she asked, he forehead felt even hotter. Cullen stumbled over his words,

“I- month. Months,” he said. Katari nodded Cole appeared with the things she had asked for, vanishing too quickly for Cullen to notice in his distressed state. Katari started crushing up leaves in the mortar and pestle Cole had left on his desk,

“Embrium will help with the fever and breathing. Elfroot will help with the shakes,” she said, she turned to him, “you’re not feeling nauseous are you?” he shook his head, “Good, good,” she mumbled. Usually she would roll all this up in a joint but since Cullen was having trouble breathing he was going to have to ingest it- it tasted foul too, the poor bastard- he eyes caught sight of a small pot of honey Cole had left too, she breathed out a light chuckle before adding it to the mixture and heating it over the candle to soften it,

“Drink this,” she said. Cullen -too weak to complain and too used to healing potions to kick up a fuss- did as he was told.

“It will be half an hour before this takes effect,” said Katari. She’d have to keep up him cool with the damp rags until then.

 

Cullen must have drifted off at some point after the herbs had begun to take effect because he found himself in bed- Katari gone. It had been a blessing to finally get some rest but, alas, the nightmare’s had still plagued him. Having that been said he did indeed feel much better, still rather warm and a little shaky but the trouble he had breathing earlier was all but gone, It was a great relief indeed. _Where had Katari learned that?_ he wondered. All the healers he had dared to see had been unhelpful in finding a way to ease the strain of lyrium withdrawal and yet all she had done was grind up a few herbs. He walked over to the small window overlooking the battlements- it looked to be early morning now- and as he approached the window he noticed a note left on the sill beside a small pouch.

 

_If the nightmares become too much, the embrium will keep you awake. Please note- do not do this often, it is not a replacement for sleep. (trust me)_

__-Katari._ _

 

Cullen was struck dumb for a moment. She knew about the nightmares, meaning that he must have been talking in his sleep. He felt shame wash over him at her catching him in such a way- though he was lucky it was her and not somebody else. For a reason he could not explain, he trusted the small qunari. Perhaps it was her quiet and reclusive demeanor- she didn’t seem the type to gossip- or perhaps it was because of her choice to help him. The last thought made him feel even more ashamed. He had been so accusing towards her when she first arrived, so suspicious, so… dare he say prejudiced? He hadn’t thought the events at Kirkwall had tainted his ability to judge character but perhaps it had? And yet -despite his hostility toward her- she had helped him, never once treating him with anything than what appeared to be respect and understanding. _Maker,_ he thought _what kind of man have I become?_  

 

Katari meanwhile was asleep in her room, curled up tightly into her nest. While her body remained still, her ears twitched rapidly. Once again caught in a deep vision in the fade.


	49. emotions by the ocean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari joins Evelyn's party at the storm coast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bringing you another chapter in the middle of the night It's Iceveins! I hope you all enjoy, I made this chapter a little longer to make up for the wait!

  
  


Katari had been called to the Storm Coast a week after her encounter with Cullen. Evelyn often called for a new party member while they were out in the field while the other rode back to Skyhold with the next scouting party. Katari was taking Blackwall’s place; Evelyn was in no doubt in need of a melee rogue for whatever her next mission was. So she rode with Harding’s party the following morning, the sun bright and the mist hanging low around their horses' hooves.

 

Katari enjoyed Harding’s company well enough so the ride was for all intents and purposes rather pleasant. She had spent the last few weeks buried in her magical studies and it was a refreshing change to be out and about once again. Katari was surprised when a dark-haired scout came to ride alongside her,

“Collin,” he said offering his hand up to her, she blinked in surprise but shook his hand nonetheless, he smiled up at her. “You bested me in a fight once,” he explained. In truth, Katari had bested many soldiers in the last few months but he did indeed seem familiar to her, she thought for a moment,

“The last man standing… where there five of you?” she asked. His face brightened immediately,

“That's me!” he said, he must have been in his early thirties by the looks of it. “I’m surprised you remember me in fact,” he said, Katari smiled a little at his jovial nature. 

“You fought well,” she said softly. “I hope you weren’t injured- I saw you at Adan’s,” she said, remembering how she had seen him in the healing tent a few days after, a look of recognition crossed his features,

“Me? No, no. My missus- Clara. Had just given birth that’s all,” he explained. He talked for a while longer, unbothered by Katari’s nods and one-word answers. Pleasant as it was she could not help but let her mind drift off,  _ who is waiting at the Storm coast again? Evelyn, Bull, Sera… and Solas.  _ As much as she loved Dorian’s company, his energetic nature became taxing for Katari after too long, Solas’ cool and collected demeanor would be a welcome change in comparison. Besides, they could continue their elvish lessons, she feared that she may grow rusty if she left it for too long.

***

 

Solas emerged from his tent later than he had intended, He had been caught up in a discussion with Wisdom and had quite forgotten that the waking world existed. It was not unheard of for him to sleep in from time to time- it was almost expected for a dreamer- But he prided himself on his punctuality and felt rather foolish for waking up late. Bull shot an amused glance at the elf when he dragged himself outside; they were lucky that neither had to worry about a bed head in the morning. Solas made his way over to the campfire, in the hopes of finding a hot breakfast. He shot a curious glance around camp,

“Where is Blackwall?” he asked. Blackwall was an early riser and was very rarely away from camp. Bull offered Solas a bowl of broth from the pot, 

“Trevelyan sent him back to Skyhold,” Solas nodded in recognition,

“Who has she requested to take his place?” he asked, Typically a party was formed by a rogue, a warrior, a mage and herself, but since she already had all three he was unsure who she might have asked for. Bull, finished chewing a mouthful of bread,

“Katari, I think,” he said, swallowing. Solas blinked in surprise, for some reason he hadn’t considered her in their list of possible companions. It was as if Katari had been placed in a different box inside his mind; separate from the others. Although, he couldn’t fathom why. The Iron Bull continued, “Bet Blackwall’s disappointed- probably looking forward to seeing her again,” he mused. Solas hummed in response, still unsure as to why such a thing irked him. 

“When will she arrive?” asked Solas, Bull mopped up the remaining broth with his bread,

“Noon, I reckon. Then we’ll take care of that last bandit camp before we head off to the Emerald Graves,” he said. 

 

***

Katari breathed in the sea air, content to let the rain pour down on her head; Overjoyed to be on the road again after so many weeks spent idle. A few scouts had taken to singing as they traveled (loudly and out of tune but joyous nonetheless) Harding chuckled at her men’s antics. 

_ “The Nobleman laid with the scullery maid, _

_ So loudly, they made quite a riot!”  _ Katari chuckled also -remembering the song from her time spent on ships- deciding like many others to join in for the final line; resulting in it being bellowed throughout the hillsides.

_ “The Nobleman’s wife took the butchering knife,  _

**_And Carved herself some peace and quiet!_ ** _ ”  _ they all laughed, some spluttering on the rain that fell into their mouths as they did so. The camp was in sight now, further down on the hillside. Katari was looking forward to seeing the others- Bull and Solas especially.

 

Bull and Solas were sitting under a tarp that had been suspended from the trees to shelter them from the rain. Hearing rather than seeing the approaching scout party, Bull chuckled at the rain-muffled tune,

“Good one, that one,” he mused before getting to his feet. Seemingly out of nowhere, Solas felt a sense of apprehension rise up within him. He pushed it to the back of his mind, after thousands of years he had learned to simply ignore such things in order to focus. 

Sure enough, twelve riders appeared on the brow of the hill, a small white figure on a gargantuan black steed among them. Katari was here, much to Solas' surprise she was laughing. Katari was a reserved and subtle creature in nature and he had only heard her chuckle before. He could not help but smile a little at the raw yet musical sound that left her lips. 

“Bas!” greeted Bull as they approached, Katari rose her infamous brow,

“Patsy,” she returned with a light smile. Bull chuckled, 

“Team shifty must not have been the same without me!” said Bull. The scouting separated, Harding gave her a brief nod and Katari waved in return- Collin also saw this and waved back also. Katari blinked in surprise before slowly returning the smile. “Making friends are we?” asked Bull, before he began wiggling his eyebrows. “Blackwall will be jealous,” Katari's hands faltered their grip on the reins, surprised. Solas clasped his hands behind his back,

“No  _ Aneth ara _ for me?” he asked, masking the sudden unease he felt with a small smile. Katari turned to him, nodding with a soft smile,

“No  _ Shanedan  _ for me?” she quipped. The corner of Solas' lip twitched,

“ _ Shanedan,  _ Katari,” she dismounted Titan, landing with a thud.

“ _ Aneth ara, Solas,”  _ she greeted. He didn’t know why the elvhen sounded so satisfying in that qunlat accent of hers, the A’s drawn out into pleasant drawls. She remained a curiosity to him.

 

Clearing the bandit camp had been uneventful for the most part. A few hours later they were taking a break from riding, Katari walked alongside Solas near a cliff overlooking the ocean. 

“You did not use magic back there,” commented Solas, Katari tilted her head,

“I do not think to use it,” she said “I am so used to fighting with my hands,” she glanced down at them idly, her brows furrowing when she saw the points of her talon’s growing back. Reminding herself to trim them when she had the chance. Solas caught the direction of her gaze, frowning at her frown. He reached out a hand, pausing in question. Katari placed her hand in his- palm up, so he could examine them. He pressed a pad of his finger against one semi-sharp tip, tilting his head curiously when a red drop blossomed on his finger, he did not think they might break his skin.

“They are sharper than I thought,” he mused aloud, noting how the shape of the talon of her thumb was different from the others,

“Sharper than they look,” said Katari, “I usually trim them short- they… they intimidate people,” she said hesitantly before gently taking her hand from his. She turned away from him, looking down at her hands briefly before looking up at the sea. Solas joined her, looking out at the ocean. 

“I did not think it would bother you so,” he said “surely intimidation is helpful for a pit fighter?” he asked, Katari, smiled sadly.

“It is,” she said, “I don’t want people to fear me,” she admitted softly. Solas frowned, sadness trickling into his mind. Katari paused for a moment, “Do you know that other Qunari can find me intimidating?” she asked- though it sounded more like a confession. Solas furrowed his brows, Katari was small and soft-spoken; especially in comparison to other qunari.

“Why?” he asked. Katari lifted a hand to one of her horns.

“Qunari find hornless people frightening. Ones born without are often made soldiers, they cut of the horns of sarebaas to warn people away,” she said, her hand slowly sinking back down to her side, her ears drooping. “Hornless qunari, look less like people to them,” she said, “Mine appear as though they’ve been cut off at a first glance,” she explained. A sudden, terrifying image entered Solas brain.  _ Katari’s horns cut off completely, her mouth sewn shut and her eyes covered.  _ He shook the image away from his mind, 

“I am sorry,” he said finding himself at loss for words, he spared a glance down at her hands. “Your talons do not bother me,” he said. Surprised to realize it himself. He decided it best to changed the subject, “Perhaps you should incorporate magic into your fighting,” suggested Solas. Katari chuckled,

“Of Course  _ you  _ would say that,  _ Herasi _ ” said Katari, Solas rolled his eyes,

“I’m serious  _ Da’len, _ use your aura every so often, disorient others. It will make you unpredictable,” Katari frowned,

“I’m not predictable,” defended Katari, Solas decided to rile her up a little. 

“I don’t know Katari- to us inner circle members… you are,” he teased, curious to see what would happen if he chipped away a little at that ironclad control of hers. Katari took a deep breath,

“I’m not predictable,” she said, there was an air a finality in her words- as if this was a final warning. Solas rose an amused brow,

“Debatable,” he said simply. Katari began removing her boots and cloak, Solas stepped back in alarm, 

“Katari? What are you doing,” Katari, took off her scabbard- she was wearing only her breeches and leather vest, she shot him an alarmingly cheerful smile before saying,

“Bye!” and running straight off the cliff edge.

 

“Katari!” he exclaimed, skidding to a halt at the edge. Catching only briefly the sight of her hurtling down the fifty feet drop before she crashed into the water below, Bull had run up to edge alongside him, horror in his eyes before glancing at Solas in confusion,

“What on earth did you say to her?” he asked. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fear not! all will be well! this actually ended up being a whole chapter instead of a scene, eh, that's writing for you! I'm having trouble editing a creative writing piece for my schoolwork, not sure if I should post it on here as an original work to get some feedback. What do you guys think?


	50. where you find your thrills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party heads to the emerald graves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! hope you enjoy this chapter, (don't worry the romance stuff is coming soon). Hey, quick question; someone asked whether or not this fic would contain smut, (in truth I have never written it before) but if it something you guys would like me to I add, let me know! I'll try almost anything once! anyway, onwards with the chapter.

 

The party ran down to the small beach nearby, as the approached the caught sight of Katari wading through the water, she grinned when she caught sight of them, whooping with glee. She threw herself onto her back, the tide lapping just up to her chin. Her eyes were closed and her chest was heaving as she lay in the sand, her arms carelessly thrown to the side as she chuckled into the wind.

 

“What the fuck Katari?” breathed Sera, out of breath from running. Solas was unsure whether she was referring to the jump or the laughter. The way she had leaped from that cliff had pierced an almighty sense of terror into his chest but now as he saw her lying there, a look of pure elation on her face he felt struck. _The rush she must have felt…_ he thought  _It_ _mustn't feel like anything else._ The sight of her; head thrown back, eyes closed, lips parted, chest heaving, stunned him. He watched as the euphoria slowly faded from her, she paused a moment before slowly getting to her feet. She caught Solas gaze with a lazy grin, the look in her eyes reading as, _Still think I’m predictable?_

“What did that feel like?” he breathed without thinking, Katari seemed a little surprised at his question,

“Like…” she seemed to search for the words but could only nod at him, “...Oblivion perhaps,” she said. Breaking out of her apparent reverie, a cheeky look entered her features, “I’m tempted to do it again,” she said.

“Don’t you dare,” said Bull, grabbing Katari by the shoulders. Katari felt scolded, she looked down at her feet,

“Sorry,” she offered weakly, still unable to fight the sense of bliss within her. Solas felt as if he should also be telling her off, as her elder and teacher but he could not help but wonder what it must be like- He longed for oblivion also, bliss, euphoria; he wanted it all. How unfortunate he was that so many depended on him. Immortality meant that he had more to lose, ironically you would think quicklings had more to lose when their lives were already so short. Having that been said, in the split second he thought she was gone… it was something he never wanted to feel it again. Bull let Katari go, seemingly satisfied by the guilty look on her face.

“Maker Katari, you’re out in the field for five seconds and you throw yourself off a cliff!” said Evelyn. At that moment Katari looked deathly terrified, realizing how unstable she must have appeared and how close she was to having traveling privileges being taken from her. Solas felt a pang of guilt- he _had_ pushed her and perhaps now she might suffer for it. Luckily this was not the case, “You look petrified! Don’t you worry, I’m not shipping you back to Skyhold just yet!” said Evelyn, Katari relaxed immediately. Evelyn shot her an exhausted glance, “Just, for my sake. Don’t go near cliffs anytime soon?” Katari nodded.

“I won’t,” she said softly.

“You better get dry,” said Evelyn, before turning away, “We leave in fifteen!” Bull and Sera followed.

“Actual fuckin’ crazy that one. Good thing she’s pretty,” mumbled Sera as she went. Solas glanced at Katari- who was still sopping wet. Solas felt anger bubble up within him,

“I can’t believe you could be so reckless!” he snapped, Katari jumped in surprise- clearly not expecting such an outburst from him. He began pacing, “Actually I can. It does, in fact, seem to be your hobby- throwing yourself headfirst into danger, to… to what? I don’t even know!” he lectured. He stopped when he saw Katari shivering, Sighing he stepped forward, touching his hand to her arm. She felt a burst of magic flow through her, she recognized the warming spell he had once taught her.

“Thank you,” she said softly before meeting his eyes, “you can lecture me all you want, Solas but you know for a fact the water was deep enough and you know exactly why I did it,” Solas withdrew his hand in surprise, unused to hearing such a strong sense of conviction directed at him. He had known how deep the water was, he hand also understood why she wanted to prove her point, saying that he didn’t would both be an insult to his and her intelligence.

“I know,” he said quietly, he took a deep breath. “In truth, you scared me, Katari,” her brows furrowed in confusion, Solas sighed. “I have very little in the way of Friends- I do not wish to lose another,” he said. Katari blinked in surprise at his admission, she had for a while considered him to be _her_ friend; she hadn’t known that he considered her _his._

“I’m sorry, Solas,” she said before walking off in the direction that the others had gone, “Serves you right though, Herasi, she smirked. Solas rose a brow.

“I’m not sure I agree with that, _Da’len,_ ”

 

***

 

Most of the trouble with the Deserters had been solved during Evelyn’s first journey to the Emerald Graves; they were here mainly to tie up some loose ends. Rifts to close, people to help, shards to be found, etcetera, etcetera. Luckily for Solas and Katari, they had time to continue their language lessons whilst they rode through the trees.

“ _Adahl,”_ said Solas, casually brushing his hand against a tree as they passed, Katari rose a brow,

“Tree?” she guessed, a wry smile found its way onto his lips,

“Your skills of observation never cease to amaze,” he said dryly, to anyone else it might have appeared as an insult but the two often exchanged witty quips and jabs at one another. Katari rolled her eyes,

“ _As-eb vashe-qalab_ ,” she muttered under her breath, Bull chuckled whilst Solas rose a brow in response,

“ _Dirthara-ma, Katari,”_ he tutted, he opened his mouth as if to say more but Sera cut him off by blowing a raspberry, Solas looked aghast, “excuse me?” he asked. Evelyn sighed, _here we go again,_ she thought in exasperation.

“Excuse yourself,” said Sera, “Whatever you said and what I did, same difference to me,” Solas looked even more offended and perhaps even a little disappointed. The two had been even more hostile towards one another, uncomfortable to be right in the center of Dalish land.

“Sometimes our people can feel the rhythm of the language despite lacking the vocabulary,” he stated- not blind to the irony that he had a better time discussing elvhen culture with a qunari than with one of his own. Sera seemed unconvinced,

“Uh huh? Do you know what else is good? Words that mean things. Like these, _words,”_ she said, Solas was growing visibly more frustrated,

“ _Fenedhis Lasa,”_ he seethed, shooting Sera a look so venomous that even Evelyn hesitated. The tension was broken however when Katari spat at all the water from her mouth in surprise- she had been drinking from her waterskin- Solas eyes were wide open in shock, his ears turning an embarrassing shade of red when he realized that unlike the others, Katari could, in fact, understand what he had said. He felt ashamed at saying something so vulgar in front of her- fearing her opinion of him may suffer for it. To her surprise, she let out a startled laugh,

“Solas!” she chortled, gasping for breath. Bull and Evelyn exchanged a glance as if to say, _what on earth did he just say?_ While sera shot Solas a look of suspicion. Solas, however, was struck by the sight of Katari laughing, he had made her chuckle before but he had never made her _laugh._ He small smile crept onto his face, his shame chased away by a sense of pride for achieving such a feat. He had missed having friends in the waking world- most spirits didn’t laugh, in fact now he thought about it, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d made _anyone_ laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who don't know "Fenedhis" means wolf dick (a common elvish curse) but "Lasa" can mean anything from "to take" to "fuck" - so long story short Solas said "Go suck a wolf dick" or "Go fuck a wolf dick,". This is an actual line of dialogue from the game. What is even funnier is that Wolves are often used as a curse because of Fen'harel, so in turn, Solas could have also meant "suck my dick", which is quite frankly hilarious. ah, Dragon Age. What a treasure. 
> 
> P.S “As-eb vashe-qalab,” translates to "this is bullshit,"


	51. Friend or foe?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strange encounter in the emerald graves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A delightfully cliche chapter title, I know but Hey! I'm too tired to be original. *deranged laughing* I hope you guys enjoy!

They were riding back to Fairbanks’ camp after a long day of rift-closing when Katari halted Titan mid-trot. It was early evening, the sun hanging low among the trees, a few amber leaves signaling the start of the Fall. The others turned to look at her, she was staring at the foot of one of the trees, her eyes fixated on something on the ground. Wordlessly Katari hopped down from Titan’s back, patting his neck absently before approaching the tree in question, The others exchanged glances of curiosity.

“Katari,” called Evelyn, Solas and Bull also dismounted. Kneeling, Katari picked something up from the ground,

“Katari, what is it?” asked Solas, once he had approached he caught glimpse of a metallic object in her hands. It was a flask.

“I thought I’d lost it,” she murmured more to herself than anyone else. She wiped away some of the leaves and dirt, her thumb idly caressing a bird etching on its side. Solas tilted his head, intrigued. He knew that look, it was a look he often had when he stumbled across a long lost artifact of his people.

“You’ve been here before?” he asked, she hadn’t mentioned it if she had. Her eyes focused, though they were still staring off into space as she answered,

“Yes,” she said, “yes I have. About nine months ago,” she got to her feet. Glancing around as if she expected something or someone to be standing just beyond the treeline.  “We better get moving I suppose,” she said before once again mounting Titan. The others exchanged confused glances.

 

Katari was sat just outside the camp that evening, once again looking at the flask as if meditating on some long lost memory. She looked up past the trees and up into the stars almost like she was asking them a question. Solas who had been watching this odd behavior from a distance decided to approach, her ear twitched as she heard him near.

“ _Shanedan_ , Katari,” he said sitting down on one of the rocks beside her, she turned her head to him. Smiling, a little.

“ _on dhea'lam,_ Solas,” he smiled at her use of the new phrase- she learned quickly. He had a small book with him, bound in brown leather, stuffed full with extra notes and pages. He placed it down beside him, nodding towards the flask

“It is sentimental?” he asked, the mystery of it had captured his interest. Her brows furrowed,

“I’m not sure,” she said looking at it intently. “I’m not sure whether it was a blessing or a curse when I lost it,” Solas nodded in recognition, both happy and bad memories might linger on the thing.

“Where did you get it?” he asked quietly, Katari handed it to him to look at. He accepted it from her, his eyes drawn to the bird etching on the side. There was a moment of silence,

“An Orleasian Comtesse gave it to me,” she said. Solas’ brows raised in surprise, “a gift for the… work I did for her. She died... It wasn’t pleasant,” that was all she said. Solas swallowed,

“I see,” he said, he tilted in his hands. “It’s full,” he said, handing it back to her. Katari looked at him in surprise before chuckling a little in surprise,

“Is it? And here I was thinking my qunari liquor was gone for good!” she said unscrewing the lid and breathing it in, “maybe there is a god after all!” she announced jokingly. Solas huffed out an amused breath, as Katari took a swig. She sighed, “and here I was thinking wine was a replacement,” she murmured, wordlessly she offered him some. Solas- politely- refused. He had heard how bull had described qunari liquor and quite frankly he preferred the nerves of his throat to remain living. Sure, the elvhen drink had been potent but they at least remembered the fact that one had to _drink_ it before they could get drunk, Qunari alcohol was much like the people themselves; strong, unapologetic and to the point.  He often wondered how Katari seemed to remain sober, perhaps she had an unusually high tolerance or perhaps she was always drunk, meaning they had never seen her sober. Admittedly she was too sure-footed and composed for the latter to be likely.

“I have a few questions I should like to ask you,” said Solas “regarding your dreams,” he added. Katari seemed unsurprised- it was unusual for him to approach her without something to ask her.

“Very well,” she said, it was not unusual she supposed for him to be intrigued by her status as a so-called seer. He seemed to think for a moment,

“Do you encounter many demons?” he asked, “Surely as a strong fighter and as a mage, you must attract a great deal of attention. Yet, when I entered your dreams I saw none- even with the sudden surge of magic within you,” Katari tilted her head to the side,

“It is strange you mention that,” said Katari,

“Oh?” said Solas,

“I was beginning to think it odd also. I have never encountered a demon,” she said with a face so confused it almost rivaled Solas’. The elf looked moderately stunned,

“Never?” he asked, she could practically see the cogs turning inside his head. She shook her head,

“Not that I know of- I have never spoken to any kind of spirit,” she said. She thought he might need a moment to comprehend such a statement. His brows furrowed, “I think it is because my dreams never seem related to me,” she mused. “I am always an outsider looking in on another's story. Perhaps it is a curse; to never have my own memories- only others,” Her words pained him, to him the Fade was a blessing but she saw it as a curse or some cruel punishment.

“Would you like to meet one? A spirit I mean,” asked Solas, Katari seemed surprised.

“I think so,” she said, “I like Cole well enough, don’t I?” An excited glint twinkled in Solas’ eye,

“I have a friend- Wisdom. I think you would like her,” he said, his words coming out a little faster than they normally would, “You could meet her within a week if you wished,” Katari smiled a little,

“Yes,” she said “yes, I think I should like that,”

 

The next day they decided to walk and give the horses a rest, by late morning they were passing through the same spot from yesterday when Katari once again froze. Her ears flicked upwards, alert and her eyes slowly scanned the treeline,

“Wait a moment,” she said softly, stepping further into the small clearing, everyone reaching for their weapons when a twig snapped in the background. Staff in hand, Solas slowly followed Katari forward, Bull- unused to lying in wait or stealth in general- remained where he stood. Katari expected a few things; bandits, Freemen of the Dales maybe a few red Templars. What Katari had not expected to be tackled to the ground by a pale shape from the undergrowth. Instinctively she rolled them over, only for her eyes to widen in surprise- an elven man was under her.

“Assan?” she asked- brows furrowed- utilizing her surprise, the elf rolled them over so that he once again was above her.

“Karari? I knew it was you!” said the Assan before falling on top of her in a hug, “I’m glad to see you are well!” he said, Katari rose a brow, her arms limp and awkward by her sides.

“You knew it was me and you still decided to tackle me?” she asked dryly,

“How else did I expect to hug you? I had to take you by surprise,” Assan must have been in his mid-twenties but had a youthful nature to him that made him appear much younger, what made this even odder was that his hair had gone prematurely grey so it was hard to guess his age before he spoke.

“Talking of which,” said Katari, “why are you hugging me?” she asked. _A good question_ thought Solas.  He didn’t like this _Assan_ on top of her, _the sheer arrogance,_ he thought _the sheer arrogance of doing such a thing without asking, of doing such a thing in front of him-_ His train of thought was cut off when Evelyn coughed to get their attention.

“Uh… care to introduce us to your friend?” she asked awkwardly- there wasn’t exactly any inquisition protocol for this kind of thing.

 

Katari and Assan craned their heads to look at them, The man chuckled awkwardly- clearly forgetting they had company. He got up before he could do much else, however, Solas was at his side, pushing past him to help Katari up off the ground. The grey-haired elf blinked in surprise, about to say something when he felt the heat of Iron Bull’s warning glare on the side of his face.

“Are you alright?” asked Solas, Katari nodded,

“I am,” she said, before nodding towards Assan, “Assan here is an acquaintance of mine. We met when I last was traveling through these woods,” Evelyn nodded. He had June’s vasillin in a light shade of lavender, a bow was strapped to his back and Solas’ knew his name meant _Arrow._ He appeared to be a hunter,

“Dalish?” asked Evelyn “I had been hoping to make contact with your clan,” she said. Assan seemed confused,

“Why?” he asked, naturally distrustful of humans.

“I’m with the inquisition,” said Evelyn  “I could use your knowledge of these parts,” Assan turned to Katari, Solas was stood beside her.

“I never thought I’d see you again!” said the elf “Let alone with the Inquisition!” Katari tilted her head,

“I never thought you’d want to see me again, I thought they’d be angry,” she said quietly, It was Assan’s turn to look puzzled,

“After what you did? Of course, we’d want to see you again!” he said earnestly, An Idea popped into his head, “I’ll tell you what, come back with me. The others too! We can kill two birds with one stone!” he said before trotting into the trees, waving them over to follow him. Evelyn shrugged, following after the elf. Solas turned to Katari with a questioning glance as they too followed,

“I thought the Dalish you had encountered were Hostile?” he asked with a furrowed brow, Katari returned his glance with a similar expression,

“They _were,_ ”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta da! whatcha think? I do love mysterious characters showing up out of nowhere, If you don't... you're wrong. *drum effect followed by cricket noises* screw you, I'm hilarious. 
> 
> So smut, yay or nay? I've got one opinion on it but I'd love to hear some others! also do you guys mind if I merge some of the chapters together or would that be too confusing? 
> 
> See you next time!


	52. a strange behavior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the party enters the Dalish camp and strange things seem to be afoot.

  
  


The group attracted a notable amount of attention as they approached, Katari seemed quite unlike herself, half hiding behind Bull’s large form. She put her hood up, she took it down and then it was up again. Solas was growing almost as concerned as he was curious, the way she had spoken with Assan.  _ I thought they would be angry,  _ she had said.  _ After what you did!  _ He couldn’t help but wonder  _ What did you do? _ He might have touched her shoulder had he been someone else but he couldn’t help but think it may seem strange to do so. Instead, he gently urged his aura forwards, lightly pushing against hers in an attempt to ask if all was well. 

 

The soft push startled Katari from her thoughts, her eyes flicked around until she saw Solas in the corner of her vision- brow raised in amusement. She raised her own brow in return before she hesitantly pushed back, albeit gently. He was glad he had given her a momentary distraction, for he couldn’t help but notice how many eyes were on her as they approached the camp. The dalish whispered to one another, exchanging looks of shock, concern, and curiosity. He shielded her from some of them, drawing closer to her side so he blocked the view of her from the left whilst Bull unknowingly did so from the right.

“Thank you,” she whispered, Solas nodded in return, hesitating before he gently pushed her with his aura again. She smiled a little and did the same-

“Keeper Hawen!” called Assan excitedly, The keeper turned from a hunter with whom he had been discussing with, His brows furrowing when he saw the strange party that accompanied the young hunter,

“I trust you have good reasons for bringing  _ Shemlen _ into our camp  _ Da’len _ ,” he said, Eying the party warily. Assan beckoned Katari out from behind Bull. Katari breathed deeply before she stepped into the Keepers line of sight and took down her hood,

“The little Ox,” said Hawen, “Katari isn’t it? Assan told me your name,” Katari nodded- voiceless. Solas frowned at the slur, stepping closer to her and sending the keeper and appraising glare. “You left without thanking us,” said the keeper “gone into the night after we fed and sheltered you... but I suppose your deeds were thanks enough,” Solas didn’t like the way he spoke down to her or the way he  _ looked  _ down on her. He supposed the Dalish were delighted that they had finally found someone in even lower social standing to pick on. It was strange behavior, saying such things with such a friendly expression, it was the behavior of someone who didn’t know they were bigoted or the behavior of someone who felt entitled to their bigotry. “You and your companions are welcome to stay,” said the  keeper, Katari bowed her head.

“ _ Ma... melava halani…  _ _ Ma serannas, _ ” she said. Hawen and Assan both sent her a look of surprise,

“Who taught you  _ our t _ ongue?” asked Hawen, Solas stepped forward, his arm brushing hers. 

“I did,” he said. It was at this moment he was suddenly glad for how much taller he was than modern elves, any hostility that may have been bubbling to the surface from Haven quickly dissipated. 

“I see,” said the keeper. 

 

Evelyn had stayed to talk to the keeper. Leaving them with Assan who cheerfully led them through the camp to where they would be staying (neither Sera or Solas were keen on this) and as they walked through the tents he could not help but notice a strange thing. The dalish seemed fairly split on their attitudes towards Katari, one half seemed friendly or mildly curious while the other half looked at them with open suspicion, exchanging looks and whispers, What was interesting about this is that the former mainly consisted of women, children and the elderly while the latter was mainly composed of young men.   _ Odd  _ thought Solas.

“We have two tents spare!” said Assan, “and there is a lovely pool through the trees over there!” he said, clearly very happy at being able to give the ‘grand tour’. Once he was done, he grabbed Katari’s hand. 

“Come!” he said, “Adasha will want to see you!” Katari’s softened from a look of surprise to a look of subtle need. She turned to the others,

“I will see you later,” she said before walking away with Assan. The odd behavior was noticed by Bull too,

“Something strange going on,” said the qunari, Evelyn nodded.

“That much I agree,” said Evelyn before turning to the others, “now I don’t know about you but I fancy a swim!”

  
  


Assan swept back the flap of a large tent. Katari stepped in behind him,

“Adasha,” he called “I’ve brought someone to see you,” he said. A fair-haired elf was bent over a table- mortar, and pestle in hand.

“Who on earth could you have-” her words trailed off once she looked up at them, the pestle dropped from her hand. “Katari,” she breathed, her hands flying to her mouth in shock, before Katari could respond, however, Adasha had crossed the space between them and flung her arms around the qunari’s neck. 

“It’s good to see you,” she mumbled. Katari looked almost sad,

“Are you alright?” she asked, Adasha stepped away from her, hands on her shoulders.

“I am fine- you saved my life, Katari,” she said, “I am forever in your debt,” Katari shook her head,

“You owe me nothing,” said Katari “I only did what I thought was right,” she said “Though I fear my handling of the situation may have been too… brutish,” Assan shook his head,

“He deserved death,” said Assan “you were more merciful than I would have been,” 

Solas had decided to read in one of the tents while the others swam, preferring the quiet. After an hour he thought he might take a look outside, He stepped into the cool afternoon air, enjoying the shards of light that danced behind the trees. He hoped Trevelyan would allow him to pursue a ruin or two while they were here and he had heard of one not far from the camp.  Deciding he would prefer to read in the fresh air he sat outside, he was about to turn the page when he heard a Dalish child -no older than three- talking to his mother. The mother was leading him with one hand but the boy seemed to be pulling her in another direction,

“I want to speak to the Halla woman!” said the child, the mother gave him a weary smile,

“Eilhana is busy right now,” she said, the boy shook his head,

“Not her the  _ Halla Woman, _ ” he insisted. The boy continued even as the mother lead him away. Curious, Solas got to his feet and wandered to the Halla pasture. 

 

Unshielded by trees the glade was light and golden in the late afternoon, the Halla grazing peacefully in the grass. He was struck when he saw her. Katari was sat in the grass, reading like he had been but it wasn’t that that stole away his breath. He understood why the child had called her the Halla woman. In the sunlight her skin was almost blindingly white, her neck long and elegant, the horns on her head resembling that of a Halla foal’s and her ears twitched to the sound of the wind. She hadn’t seen him, she was all too absorbed in the book on her lap, her lips moving to the words. At that moment she was completely and undeniably beautiful, He stunned beyond belief. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t been attracted to a woman in a long time or perhaps it was because of the shocking likeness she had to such an Iconic symbol of his people. He supposed he was much like a Halla in several ways, she was slow to trust, loyal and dignified. He told himself there was no harm in thinking such things, that she was different from other qunari- that’s all. Distracted he stepped on a twig, the snap drawing her attention. She turned to face him, smiling when she saw who it was

“Solas,” she greeted. He gave a small nod in return,

“Katari,”  he slowly approached where she sat. She spied the book in his hand,

“We had the same idea, it seems,” she said, he hummed,

“Indeed,” he said, She squinted towards at the sun,

“Where are the others?” she asked, He glanced at the tree line.

“They’ve gone for a swim,” he said. She got to her feet,

“I might join them,” she spared him a glance over her shoulder, “Are you coming?” All thoughts of peace and quiet left his mind, quietly following her he thought  _ why do I feel that I’m in trouble? _


	53. A deep dive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swimming, reading, and secrets are revealed. All this in one chapter? I'm on a roll!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you guys enjoy this chapter! a little fluff, a little angst, what more could anyone want?

 

The pool was indeed lovely. It was a little smaller than the main hall back at Skyhold, with its own little eleven-foot tall waterfall which tumbled into the water with a pleasing rumble. Though It could hardly be considered peaceful with Bull, Sera, and Evelyn splashing around,

“I’ll fuckin’ get ya!” spluttered Sera after being pushed into the water by Bull for the  _ third  _ time. 

 

Solas sat at the far end of the pool reading quietly, his breeches rolled up just below his knee and his footwraps removed so that he could let his calves hang into the water. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon he supposed- though would much rather be exploring those ruins than sit idle. Katari had gone to get changed in their tent. Originally it was supposed to have been Solas and Bull in one tent and the three women in the other. Sera, however, then decided she would rather bunk with Bull and there was  _ no way  _ Solas was sharing a tent with those two. Luckily for Solas, Evelyn or Katari didn’t mind sharing with him. 

 

Sera was pushed into the water again, this time by Evelyn. The sopping blonde waited until Evelyn was in the pool before shoving her under the water, Bull laughed at their antics. Solas looked up from his book when he heard Sera wolf whistle, Katari was stood on a large rock atop the waterfall- unlike the others who were in their small clothes- Katari wore a pair of thin cropped linen breeches and a sleeveless white undershirt.  Katari laughed at Sera’s antics, jokingly flexing her muscles before performing an impressive dive into the water, making barely a splash as she did do. Once Sera had stopped spluttering she looked around in confusion,

“Where did-” a hand grasped her ankle, pulling her under the water. Sera screamed, Katari emerged a few seconds later laughing maniacally even as Sera splashed water at her. 

 

Katari, as it turned out, was an amazing swimmer; able to hold her breath for minutes on end and see very well underwater, so despite Sera and Bull’s effort to catch her they were relatively unsuccessful. 

“We’ll find you, Bas,” said Bull, eyeing the water suspiciously as he waded through the water.  Evelyn chuckled, floating in a starfish position in the sun. Unbeknownst to the trio, Katari had swum to the far end of the pool, away from all the chaos she had started. Solas looked at the water once he felt Katari’s aura approach, raising a brow as she slowly emerged from beneath the surface. The drooping branches of a weeping willow shielded them from the sun and the other’s view,

“Quite the ruckus you’ve caused,  _ Da’len, _ ” he scolded, Katari raised an eyebrow. She half lifted herself from the water, folding her arms atop the back next to him and resting for a moment. She shrugged,

“Caused? Not quite,” she said “I merely stirred things up a little,” she laid her head atop her arms, looking at him. 

“You are an unusually strong swimmer,” commented Solas, she shrugged a little

“I’ve often traveled near water- swimming is the closest thing I’ve ever had to leisure time aside from reading,” she explained. Solas nodded, that seemed to fit. 

“Are you not fond of swimming?” asked Katari, it wasn’t that unusual she supposed- Solas wasn’t really the social type. Solas seemed surprised at the question,

“I’m not averse to it,” he said “I simply prefer to read,” he stated, turning the page as if to punctuate his point. Katari chuckled when she saw the title,

“Hard in Hightown?” she asked, Solas rolled his eyes. “What volume are you on now?” he looked at her for a second, as if to gauge whether she was teasing him or if it was an actual question, 

“Three,” he said, watching for her reaction, to her surprise she responded

“I haven’t finished that one yet,” she said “it is a pity I cannot read and swim at once, otherwise I would have read as far as you- we could have discussed it,” admittedly Solas was somewhat distracted by a stray waterdrop rolling down from her hair and down her spine but he heard enough of what she had said to not look a fool. He hesitated for a moment,

“I could read it to you if you like?” he offered, Katari blinked in surprise before smiling softly,

“I should like that,” she said, Solas nodded,

“I will translate parts of it into elvhen for you,” he said “and you can give me the qunlat in return,” It seemed a pleasant way to continue their lessons. He read aloud to her until the sun was crouching low in the treeline and they all had to go dry off.

 

Katari was absent from the Evening meal. The party sat separate from the dalish, close enough to be social and feel the warmth of the fire but not so close as to nurture suspicion. Assan and Adasha joined them later on, 

“Katari is not here?” asked Assan 

“It is hardly surprising- she never was the social type,” said the elven woman- attracting their gaze. Solas frowned, Katari was a quiet and reclusive soul but he wouldn’t go so far as to all her reclusive. Assan remembered his manners,

“This is my sister Adasha,” he introduced her, Evelyn stood to greet her, offering them both a seat on the log she had been sitting on. 

“Thank you,” said Adasha, sitting down beside her brother; seemingly unafraid of the large Qunari sitting on her other side. Sera grunted moodily, unhappy to be surrounded by so many “elfies”, Solas nodded politely and Bull gave a friendly,

“Hey,” the conversation conceited mainly of small talk until Bull said, “you both know Katari huh? I cannot help but notice a little, uh… tension from your clan,” he was the only one so bold as to say so, Evelyn trying to avoid some diplomatic incident between the Inquisition and the Dalish. Assan and Adasha exchanged a glance,

“She didn't tell you?” asked Adasha, it was Bull and Evelyn's turn to exchange a glance. Solas looked up from his book in curiosity. Evelyn shook her head,

“She didn’t tell us what?” she asked. Adasha looked to her brother as he sighed before speaking,

“Almost a year ago Katari was traveling through the wood, she was low on supplies and it was late winter,” said Assan. There was a sense of apprehension as he spoke; as if he was afraid of their response to what he would have to say, nonetheless he continued. “She had been days without food when she found us, she asked if we would shelter her in exchange for work,” he said, a look of shame crossed both his and his sister’s face. Solas eyes narrowed. “The keeper refused,” the others burst into exclaims of anger. Assan lowered his head, “we were afraid of her, she was an outsider. We gave her bread in exchange for chopping wood but he wouldn’t let her sleep in the camp, only nearby the entrance,” the story seemed to be heading somewhere dark. “We were cruel to her, those who didn’t call her names or throw stones, did nothing,” said Assan, tears beginning to spill from his eyes, “I did nothing,” he admitted. The look on Solas’ face hardened, Adasha placed her hand over her brothers,

“It’s not something we’re proud of,” she told them, Sera was angry.

“You just let them do that?” she asked, the disgust on her face visible. The story all too familiar to her as an elf child who grew up on the streets- hated and hungry. Assan nodded

“I know it’s unforgivable,” he said quietly, Solas snapped his book shut, the noise making Assan flinch. He continued with his story,

“It was strange- all they did was lost on her. She was distracted, seemingly caught up in something we did know about, spending hours just looking at that flask of hers,” he said, Solas gaze was unrelenting, daring the elf to continue but it was his sister who did. 

“Our tent is closer the outskirts,” she said, “I was alone one night while Assan was out hunting and there was this fletcher- Emith- who had been harassing me for a few weeks. He came to my tent and grabbed ahold of me and, and,” she faltered “I must have screamed because she- Katari-  was there in seconds,” the group listened intently. “She grabbed him by his hair and dragged him outside, not saying a single word. His screams drew everyone’s attention- had I not stopped them they would have killed her… anyway, she dragged him the block she chopped wood at and asked him,  _ what hand did you touch her with?  _ He didn’t answer so she asked me instead; it was his right. She cut it off and she was gone in the morning,” she finished. There was a moment of silence, everyone stunned by the story. Solas got to his feet,

“Inquisitor- there is nearby ruin I had been hoping to dream in, would you excuse me for the evening?” Evelyn seemed surprised at the sudden request but nodded, 

“Will you be alright by yourself?” she asked, Solas paused for a moment,

“Katari had seemed interested when I mentioned it earlier, I’ll ask her if she would like to go as well,” he said before shooting a glare back at the camp, “I think she might feel safer away from this place,” he said before walking away. Evelyn placed a hand on Bull’s arm, remembering what had happened last time Katari had been injured,

“Please don’t do anything you might regret,” she urged, 

“I wouldn’t regret it,” he grumbled “but no- I won’t kill anyone,” Evelyn seemed satisfied but she had, of course, said nothing to  _ Sera  _ about carrying out retribution.  


	54. below the surface

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right guys! not one but two chapters in the space of twenty-four hours. I am on a roll, I am on fire, I am rambling. With no more gilding the lily or further ado I present the next chapter...

 

Solas thought it best to remove himself from the situation lest he reveal his true capabilities in a very violent way. He approached their shared tent,

“Katari,” he called, there was no response. Hesitantly he pulled back the flap of the tent, she was not inside. He frowned,  _ Where would she have gone-  _ he shook his head, walking towards the treeline.  _ The water  _ he thought  _ of course.  _ The moon and sun were perfectly balanced in the sky signaling the dusk and creating a strange pink-silver sky.  The sound of the waterfall getting louder as he approached the pool, Katari was sat at the water’s edge and for the second time that day Solas was frozen at the sight of her. The clothes she had been swimming in earlier were drying out on the bank and instead of her usual breeches and vest, she wore a white linen slip that fell just short of the knee with long billowed sleeves. He didn’t know why seeing her wear such a thing seemed odd to him, it appeared to be a nightdress and for some reason, he had never imagined her wearing something so overtly feminine. What struck him most, however, was that Katari had taken her hair out of her bun, the white tresses were still damp from swimming earlier and his eyes followed it, down, down… down. Sitting it was long enough to sit on the floor; how she managed to get it into that tight bun every day was beyond him. She was combing her fingers through it, humming idly under her breath, pausing only when she found a knot she needed to untangle. There was something about seeing her all in white that moved him, monochromatic she almost resembled a spirit from the fade.  _ What spirit would she be?  _ He wondered. He was snapped from his musings like the branch beneath his foot.  Katari’s head turned to look in his direction, smiling when she saw who it was.

“ _ on dhea'lam,  _ Herasi,” she greeted, the combination of their languages might have seemed strange from anyone else but from her, it flowed like water. Solas’ lips quirked

“ _ Shanedan,  _ Da’len,” he returned. He feared that he might have been intruding but her greeting told him otherwise, he came to sit beside her at the water’s edge. His eyes were helplessly drawn once again to her long white hair, “I didn’t realize your hair was so long,” he said, curiously reaching out to touch it before he realized how strange that would be and withdrew his hand. Katari’s eyes went to the hair on her shoulder which hung wetly. 

“Oh… yes. Yes, I suppose it is quite long. I know it’s not very practical perhaps I should cut it short-” she had clearly taken the comment as criticism and Solas blanched at the idea of her cutting it all off just because of something he had said,

“No, no. Not at all,” he said “you wear it up and out of the way, after all,” Katari smiled a little,

“Believe it or not it was actually much longer when they found me,” she said, Solas furrowed his brows it was already very long. Katari raised a brow at his reaction,

“It actually reached my knees,” she said, idly brushing it through with her fingers. 

“Truly?” asked Solas, looking at her hair with newfound interest. Katari hummed in response,

“It was definitely impractical then and I used to get teased a lot for it… I do miss it sometimes,” she admitted, looking over the water. Solas looked at her for a moment as if pondering something, he decided it was best to come clean about why he came there, “Assan and Adasha… they told us about what happened here,”  She stopped brushing her hair,

“Oh,” she said “I had hoped that you wouldn’t hear,” she admitted. Gently, solas pushed his aura against hers,

“Why?” he asked softly, Her aura pulled in tightly around herself,

“I was ashamed,” she whispered. “For being weak, for losing control… for running away,” she was so quiet that the sound of the water almost swallowed her words- were it not for his elven hearing Solas may not have heard them at all. He thought back to the day she had wept in front of him, of how she had embraced him and once again he felt the hunger of a touch starved man. He longed for comfort just as much as he wished to comfort her, but instead of reaching out to touch her he reached out with his aura instead. 

“You stopped a man from raping Adasha, you ignored every name and stone they threw your way… I fail to see how you were weak or lost control,” he reasoned, Katari pulled her knees to her chest,

“I saw the way the looked at me when I cut off his hand… they thought I was the very monster I’d tried so hard not to be,” she said, this time solas bumped his shoulder gently against hers but that was all he dared. 

“It was a barbaric punishment for barbaric crime,” he said “And as for the Dalish… They are so blinded by their prejudices against outsiders they would have been cruel regardless of what you had done,” He wished that she wouldn’t blame herself for others shortcomings. 

“Assan was kinder to me that he probably let on,” said Katari, Solas blinked in surprise

“Oh?” he asked, she turned to look at him,

“He was the one who gave me food- more than he was probably supposed to- he also taught me a little about herbology,” she said. Solas was surprised, most would have jumped at the opportunity to paint themselves in a good light but Assan hadn’t… it was interesting. It also explained the familiarity between them. Katari got to her feet,

“I think I might go for another swim,” said Katari “It helps me take my mind off things,” she mused. She looked to the clothes she had swam in- they were still wet. She glanced at Solas uncertainly, before pulling the white slip over her head so that she stood in her small clothes. Instinctively Solas turned his gaze elsewhere until she was neck deep into the water. She smiled a little at the gentlemanly action before diving under the surface. 

 

Solas swallowed, he hadn’t looked at her, he hadn’t seen anything but he still felt the heat of shame rising up into his cheeks. He scolded himself, he wasn’t an adolescent boy who got excited by the mere idea of a woman in small clothes. So it posed the question, what did he feel ashamed of? It wasn’t like-

 

Katari resurfaced, squinting at something below the water. Solas furrowed his brows,

“What is it?” he asked. Katari continue to stare for a moment,

“A statue I think,” she said, “the end closer to the waterfall is quite deep, I think a few crumbled pillars are there too,” Solas moved closer to the water’s edge. 

“What more can you see?” he asked, Katari spared him a quick glance,

“I’ll tell you in a moment,” she said before diving under again it was a few moments before she resurfaced. She swept back the hair from her eyes.

“There is some sort of ruined building down there, It’s quite dark though,” she said. Solas began to remove his footwraps, Katari tilted her head. “What are you doing?” she asked, he pulled his tunic over his head, he wore a green undershirt beneath.

“I can see better in the dark than you can,” he said, an excited twinkle in his eye. Katari averted her eyes when he began taking off his shirt. Clad only in his breeches he dived into the water, reappearing above the surface a moment later. “Show me,” he said. Katari nodded, 

“I hope you can hold your breath,” she said before ducking under. 

 

Solas followed Katari as she swam deep under the water, mesmerized by the flowing movement of her white hair as it trailed behind her. As the got deeper and the water got colder he saw the statue she had spoken of, It took the form of an elven woman, her noble features beautifully preserved by the still waters. Katari reached out a hand, curiously caressing its face. It was around three times the size of the small qunari, who looked quite childlike in the lady’s presence. Solas swan a little deeper, his eyes widening in excitement when he saw what lay even further down. He felt his lungs begin to burn, he swan towards Katari gesturing upwards with a flick of his chin, she understood and followed him to the surface. 

 

They both gasped when they broke the surface of the water, “I think there is a ruin built into the rock,” said Solas, “I saw an entrance,” he said, speaking faster than he normally would. Katari's eyes widened,

“Are you sure?” she asked, “Should we go look?” Solas could see that she was ready to dive under again, he chuckled.

“Not so quickly  _ Da’len, _ ” he said, “we best get some things before we go down there,” he reasoned before swimming over to the edge. “I’ll put our packs near the water so we needn’t go back to the tent dripping wet when we return. I’ll be back in a moment,” he said getting out of the water. Katari idly examined the lithe muscles moving beneath the skin of his back before he pulled on his tunic and disappeared through the trees. He was surprisingly well toned she noted and bore only a few visible scars; the others may have faded away over time or had been healed with magic. She swam over to the bank so she could hide their clothes between some roots beneath the willow tree. Solas returned a moment later with their packs and his staff, Katari already in the water. He took of his tunic once more before strapping his staff to his back and joining her. 

“Shall we?” he asked.

 

Solas lead Katari even deeper than before, he pointed to a crumbled staircase which lead to a shadowy archway. Solas paused before they reached the entrance, a sconce was attached to a wall, hesitantly he reached out a hand before he conjured a blue flame atop the torch. He glanced at Katari excitedly, since veilfire was only the echo of a fire that once was it continued to burn even under the water. The two shared one last glance before swimming into the dark.  


	55. the things you'll find

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas and Katari discover a strange ruin and a mystery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive any spelling or typos, I am writing this in the middle of the night and am very tired. I will give it a once over in the morning, I was too excited to wait and published it anyway.

 

The staircase continued even once they went through the archway, up, up and up. Even with the torch, it was almost too dark to see, Katari couldn’t see as well as Solas so he gently clasped her forearm between his fingers and led her forward. They were both surprised, however, when they breached the surface of the water sooner than expected, Katari gasped, inhaling as much oxygen as she could after holding her breath for so long. Solas swam around, holding up the veil fire so he could see better,

“An air pocket…” he breathed. “The stairwell created an air pocket and now we are in a room!” he said. He swam over the top of the stairs and climbed out of the water, Katari followed after him. He offered his hand to her and she took so that he could help her up and out of the water. Solas went up to a second sconce -that only he with his elven eyesight could have seen- and lit up a second burst of veil fire, he turned and handed it to her so that she might find her way around as easily as he could. They stood in what must have been an entryway, it’s vaulted ceiling considerably high for being underground. Katari walked over to a wall, the light revealing a detailed elvhen mosaic,

“It is beautiful,” she breathed, marveling at the way her hands slid across the tiles, Solas came up to stand beside her, taking in the craftsmanship.  

“I knew a great many ruins remained here,” he said “But I have never heard of this place,” He lifted the torch up higher, “a temple perhaps? Maybe even someone’s home,” he mused, Katari glanced back at the watery stairway,

“I wonder how it came to be flooded?” she murmured, Solas turned to her.

“Water carves its way through the earth- often finding its way elsewhere over time,” he said, Katari nodded, her lashes fluttering when some flaxes of plaster fluttered down from the ceiling 

“It is lucky,” she said “were it not so well hidden it likely would have been plundered of all wealth by now,” A grim expression crossed his features,

“Quite likely yes,” he agreed, he was itching to explore the rest of the place, “come,” he said, his aura beckoning her to follow him, she followed as he wandered through the next archway, leaving a trail of puddles as she went. 

 

The place wasn’t huge but had a number of rooms they discovered, some places were blocked off by collapsed pillars and piles of rubble. Normally Solas would have moved them via magical means but he didn’t want to cause a collapse or landslide by accident they found there way into what might have been a study once, twice the size of the rotunda back at Skyhold it housed a dozen tall bookshelves and a large desk. Solas lit the sconces beside the door, Katari gasped looking upwards. The ceiling had been painted a dark blue- now faded- to resemble the night sky, silver lines connecting the stars to reveal constellations. 

“It’s so well preserved,” she whispered. Solas examined the ceiling,

“Enchanted I think,” he said “The stars might even have glowed once,” Katari looked at them with newfound interest,

“You think so?” she asked, Solas smiled a little,

“It’s what I would have done,” he said. What was interesting about the room was that several small beds had been shoved up against the walls, the shelves pushed into irregular positions to allow them. Katari walked over to one, it looked makeshift; as if someone had been in a hurry to make it. She delicately touched a hand to the bedding, it was fragile with age.  “It’s odd,” said Solas, Katari turned to him

“What is?” she asked, He caressed a piece of stonework resembling a halla,

“The architecture is elvhen, it’s in the dales, yet… my people very rarely built underground,” he said, Katari tilted her head

“Perhaps this place was meant to be hidden away,” she said “In a place where no one would think to look,” Solas looked around,

“I suppose that is possible,” he said, he approached the desk, examining the papers he faltered.

Katari furrowed her brows, 

“Are you alright Solas?” she asked, He paused for a moment before lifting up a piece of parchment from the desk, 

“Someone was trying to figure out how to remove vasillin,” he said quietly, “The spellwork appears rudimentary but it was showing promise,” he said. Katari frowned,

“I thought Vasillin were to do with the elvhen gods,” she said “Why would anyone want to remove them?” she asked, Solas looked at her, his face crumpling when he realized there was no way to tell her the truth without telling her everything. 

“I- it would be easier to tell you in the fade,” he said “we may also learn what this place was,” he said, Katari examined him for a moment. 

“Alright,” she said, though not without a curious expression, “let us discover more of this place first shall we?” Solas smiled a little with relief, 

“I think I should like that,” he said, picking up the torch once more and following her through the doorway.

 

“I’ve seen these kinds of tools before,” said Katari as the entered what appeared to be a small workroom, “they are for runecrafting aren’t they?” she asked, Solas nodded, 

“indeed they are,” he said curiously “this certainly is a strange place,” he mused. They explored the room a while longer before Solas stilled, Katari was shivering.

“You are cold,” he said, Katari nodded, crossing her arms.

“It’s my hair,” she said, “It’s still wet,” Solas saw that still indeed was dripping, he had forgotten the perils of hair a long time ago and had dried off relatively quickly, not only that but Katari only wore her smallclothes- he was wearing breeches and his pendant off course. Wet, her hair hung past her hips, clinging to the tops of her thighs. He stepped forward, 

“Allow me,” he said gently, reaching for a strand of her hair and sending a warm pulse of magic all over her scalp. She jumped a little, relaxing when he realized that it was drying quickly. Solas watched as the hair fluffed into a curtain of fine snow, marveling at it since had never seen it like that before. “It is beautiful,” he breathed, not really thinking that he had said it allowed until Katari’s cheeks turned a light pink,

“Thank you,” she said quietly before turning around to examine the room further, there were three bedrolls in one corner, surrounded by a number of belongings that must have once belonged to the people who slept in them. Solas was quite distracted by her hair, with her back turned he could see very little of her under it, It swung in slight waves with every movement she made. In fact, all he could really see was her legs, her calf muscles strong yet attached to incredibly dainty ankles. “Solas,” she called, snapping him out of reverie.

“Yes,” he said before apologizing “pardon me, I was distracted,” she smiled faintly at him,

“It’s alright,” she said “I was just wondering if we should sleep now, I am looking forward to learning more about this place and meeting your friend,” Solas had quite forgotten about introducing her to wisdom. He nodded,

“Very well- I imagine she is expecting me,” he said, choosing the cot to the left. Katari laid down in the one beside him.

 

Katari paused, 

“What is it?” asked Solas. She turned to him with a sheepish expression,

“I left all my hair pins behind- I am unsure how to sleep with my hair down without it getting horribly tangled,” she explained, Solas tilted his head,

“You could braid it out of the way,” he suggested. Katari grew a little pink.

“I am afraid I don’t know how to braid hair,” she mumbled, feeling quite foolish for having hair so long yet not knowing how to do so. Solas raised his brows in surprise,

“Oh,” he said softly before sitting upright. “I could do if you like,” he offered, Katari seemed uncertain,

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” she asked, Solas shook his head,

“I don’t mind,” he said softly. Slowly, Katari turned her back to him. He reached out to touch it and was surprised by its softness for someone who had lived her life on the road it was remarkably well taken care of. He gently began to braid her hair with practiced ease, quickly getting into the rhythm of it,

“You do this very well for a man without hair,  _ Herasi, _ ” she teased, Solas breathed out a chuckle.

“If you remember much about that dream,  _ Da’len,  _ you’d know that not only was my hair red but also quite long,” he said, finishing off the braid- he had nothing to tie it with but provided Katari did not toss and turn it would hold well enough. Katari chuckled,

“I suppose it was,” she said.


	56. a half truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas reveals a little more of who he is in the fade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was only supposed to be a scene but it ended up being a chapter, oh well. hope you enjoy!

 

Katari was stood in a stone hallway, It wasn’t the ruin she was sleeping in, however; it resembled a typical Fereldan fort or castle, simple yet strong masonry, and diamond-paned glass windows. Solas it seemed hadn’t found her just yet. Her ears pricked at woman’s cry, something like a scream and a groan all at once. Curiously, she followed the sound until she reached a heavy wooden door, before touching the handle,  however, a spirit resembling a blond bearded man walked through her and opened the door. She jumped in surprise- she never could get used to that. The room within was dimly lit, and a pregnant woman lay on the bed surrounded by several elven handmaids. The bearded man was at the woman’s bedside; she could not see her for the heavy drapes above the bed cast a shadow across her face, she let out another cry. The man was now crouched at her side, holding her clenched fist and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

“The baby is coming now,” soothed one of the maids. Katari had never witnessed a birth before and in truth was somewhat fascinated by the scene unfolding before her- though she could not help but feel intrusive looking in on such an intimate moment. A cry signaled the babe’s arrival into the world, and the mother sagged in exhaustion, the man looked to the maids,

“You must speak of this to no one,” he told the women, the nodded among one another,

“We won’t tell,” promised one in a thick Denerim accent, “I swear,” the man nodded gratefully, one of the girls stepped forward,

“Would you like to hold him sir?” she asked, the man choked,

“Him?” he asked “It’s a boy?” he said, reaching for the babe in her arms, she gently passed the baby to his father. “He’s so small,” he whispered before turning to the mother who was weakly reached for his hand. He took it and kneeled beside her, “Look at our son,” he said “look at our boy!” he whispered excitedly. The mother slowly eased herself upright the father passed the boy to her, gently cradling his head. “I’m glad to hold him,” she said “even if it is just the once,” her voice was so despairing yet elated all at once, a distinct Orlesian twang peeking through the hoarseness of her voice.

“What should we call him?” the man asked, The woman stroked the babe’s hair

“Alistair,” she said, “I always liked the name Alistair,”. Katari tilted her head, she had never seen a baby before. It was a small pink thing with its eyes shut tight a thicker head of hair than she would expect from one so young. She turned away from the couple, deciding that she had intruded enough and thought it better to explore the castle. She had barely stepped out in the hallway when she heard Solas call to her,

“ _Da’len_!” she spun around, Solas was stood at the end of the corridor. He began walking towards her,

“ _Herasi,”_ she greeted in return, he reached her. A curious look in his eye,

“Such vivid dreams you have, Katari,” he said, he brushed his hand along the stonework, “this is Redcliffe castle is it not?” he mused, Katari blinked,

“Is it?” she asked, looking around in newfound interest, _If so, then who was-_

“I think so,” said Solas before he remembered their original purpose for being here, “I came to fetch you- I think it’s time I told you some things,” he said, beckoning forward, “come,”

 

As soon as she had followed him through one of the side doors they found themselves in a familiar scene. It was the mountainside near Solas’ village and once again she sat beside him in the long grass,

“We are in your dream now... Or have you simply changed mine?” she asked curiously, Solas brushed his hand through the grass,

“This is still your dream,” he said “it is easier to step into another's than bring someone into mine- not that doing so is difficult, the former is just less troublesome,” he explained, Katari tilted her head.

“Are they the only two ways of talking to another in the fade… or is there another way?” she asked. Solas’ lip twitched at her inquisitive nature, at her insatiable thirst for knowledge, he liked that she asked questions when most wouldn’t think to.  

“There are few limits to what you can do in the fade- I Imagine there are many ways that not even I know of,” he said “but typically I would consider there to be three ways in which two people can inhabit the same part of the fade; the two I previously mentioned and the third. The third way tends to happen when multiple individuals sleep in a place where the veil is thin- all witness the same vision,” he finished. Katari seemed to ponder this a while longer, staring off into the wispy clouds that decorated the sky above. She had dreamed herself in her standard brown vest and breeches but her hair was down and Solas’ found himself quite enchanted with it, watching it lift slightly in the breeze.

“You said that you had things you wanted to tell me,” said Katari, it was a moment before she looked over to him, her legs folded beneath her. Solas plucked a piece of grass, twisting it between his fingers,

“You know a great deal more about me than most,” he began “you know that I am immortal, that I come from a time very different time from this one- something you seem to be relatively unfazed by,” he mused, Katari leaned back on her elbow.

“I am a short qunari who isn’t grey, you discovered my location via time travel and I have visions of the future- I am not really the best person to gauge what is normal and was is not,” she shrugged. Her nonchalance was almost amusing to him but his face hardened when he remembered what he had to tell her.

“You have probably realized that I only told you a part of my… story, if you will,” His eyes scanned her, waiting for a reaction.  She lay down in the grass,

“I imagine it is quite a long one- I did not expect you to tell me everything,” she said, her hair fanned out around her like a snowy halo. Solas relaxed a little, glad she hadn’t accused him of lying or something else along those lines.

“I am not sure where to begin,” he whispered, He valued the time he shared with katari as an escape from both the truth and the lie; the more he told her the less he could delude himself. “As you are likely aware most legends evolve from truths- the interpretation can become warped over time until it is something different altogether,” he began,

“Yes,” said Katari in a voice so soft it was almost stolen by the breeze. He took a deep breath

“The gods the Dalish worship were not gods,” he said, Katari rolled over to look at him, her brows furrowed as she waited for him to continue. “What I am about to tell you, _Da’len,_ you must not tell anyone,”  he said, there was an urgency in his voice that made Katari pause,

“I will not tell anyone _Herasi_ not unless I am put in a position where keeping it a secret will come at the cost of lives,” she said,  looking him in the eye, “I swear it- maybe not even then,” she said “I know how to keep a secret,” she promised. Solas’ lip twitched a little, hesitantly he reached for her hand and clasped it between both of his,

“I hope you realize how much I have come to value you as a friend,” he said before releasing her hand almost as hesitantly as he had taken it. “I have so few,” he added softly. There were a few moments of silence before he continued,

“What I am about to tell you Katari will change the way you view history- there are so many things that people have gotten wrong,” he said, Katari frowned but nodded for him to continue.

“The creators, the forgotten ones- they were simply elves. Ancient and powerful ones but Elves nonetheless,” he said, Katari was looking at him so intently it almost made him falter over his words; her stare was so powerful and emotive.

“How did they come to be known as gods?  She asked. Solas rolled onto his back- staring up at the sky.

“They were so old, everyone had forgotten what they were like before they had such power, that or all those who could were dead,” he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. She didn’t say anything. “My people were slaves to them,” he said “Their vasallin a brand- a way of showing which _God_ they belonged to,” Katari let out a soft breath,

“And the dalish have no Idea,” she said, Solas shook his head “None at all,” he said before he continued “The vasallin was more than that however- it wasn’t just ink… it was much like a phylactery, once one had it they were unable to escape their masters. They could track down slaves with them making it near impossible for them to escape,” a stewed bitterness crept into his timbre,

“Blood writing,” said Katari “Vasallin translates to blood writing,” Solas nodded,

“I needn’t explain to you the significance of that,” he said, Katari was intelligent enough to decipher that on her own. Her vision made sense to her now, how the elves with vasallin had felt… off.

“You were not a slave,” said Katari, He hadn’t bore vasallin in her vision. Solas shook his head,

“No,” he said “though once… someone tried to put vasallin on me, I managed to remove it… but I hadn’t done it before and it left a scar,” he said, raising a hand to his forehead, touching the small mark above his eyebrow, Katari’s eyes followed the movement- she had noticed it before.

“You knew how to remove vasallin?” she asked. Solas nodded, unsure how to explain himself without telling her _everything._

“I joined a resistance, we planned to overthrow them and free the people,” he said, his voice a broken whisper. “Once sealed away in the fade, we thought it was over,” he said “I’m not sure I can explain all of that right now,” he said, Katari nodded, although she was going to ask about that she also hadn’t expected him to tell her everything. “I went into a deep sleep known as _uthenera,_ I slept for nearly eight thousand years and as I did I had to watch the spirits of the fade act out the fall of the empire and the tevinter enslavement of my people,” he said. It was a strange thing now that he had told her, not quite a weight lifted from him but it was one more person he no longer had to lie to; it was a relief of sorts. Unexpectedly, Katari clasped his hand between hers like had done earlier, closing her eyes she said,

“ _Ir abelas,_ Solas,” she said, her voice a whisper “ _Ar sildeara bre abelas sul ma,”_ He choked out a breath; the closest he had come to losing his composure in such a long time. Her words touched him, not just because it was in elvhen. _I feel intense sorrow for you,_ she had said to him. Her quick grasp of the language was masterful and her qunari accent drawing out the syllables in a way that accentuated her words to the point were her sympathy almost broke him. Her hand grasped his gently but for a man so touch starved it felt almost like an embrace to him, He may not have been crying like she had been and he mourned a nation not a falcon but she was comforting him like he had comforted her and comfort was something that no person had ever offered to him. Respect? yes. Pity? yes. but empathy? no.  “I am so very sorry, Solas,” she said “-so very sorry my friend,”

 

They lay there a while longer before Solas got to his feet,

“We have a dream to explore, _Da’len,”_ he said, she got up also,

“As if I had forgotten, _Herasi,”_ she answered. Two companions exploring the fade.


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a fun chapter- it ended up being another deep one. Oh well, you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet (that is a little Solas joke for you there) I hope you all enjoy.

  
  
  


The scene around them changed. They stood in a large gully, brilliant green trees sitting atop the cliffs. They were in emerald graves again. Katari’s brows furrowed as she noticed a staircase leading up into the rock and a tall statue nearby,

“We are at the entrance,” she said, turning around in amazement, Solas stepped forward,

“Yes. This must be what it looked like before it was flooded,” he said. Katari turned to him,

“Shall we go inside?” she asked, Solas’ smiled a little. 

“I don’t see why not,” he said. 

 

The walked up the staircase, it seemed much shorter than it had earlier which they were grateful for. When they reached the entryway Katari smiled, able to see the mosaics in their full glory; they depicted halla leaping through the trees of some fantastical woodland. She followed him through the archway- it was much lighter than one would have expected- in areas that had been blocked by landslides there were corridors and stairways illuminated by ornate glass skylights and several torches and glowing objects lit up the walls. It truly was a beautiful place-

“ _ Lahlas _ ! Get back here this instant!” at that moment a spirit resembling a blond elvhen man was being chased by a dark-haired dwarf woman. The elf was carrying a number of rune stones, “They are not finished!” she shrieked, Lahlas laughed,

“Come now! Surely there is no harm in trying a few out Thora!” he said evading her even as she chased him to the study. Solas blinked, that was not what he had expected. Katari, however, tilted her head. 

“That explains the runecrafting tools,” she said, Solas who was still moderately stunned nodded,

“I suppose it does,” he agreed before they both followed the spirits into the study. 

 

The ceiling resembled the night sky perfectly, complete with moving clouds and twinkling stars. A quiet elf with vasallin was sitting on one of the beds, looking at the pictures in a book on dragons. 

“If these work, we might be able to hold escapees for even longer,” said the elf “It will throw off the  blood magic, dull it perhaps,” he was growing excited, shuffling through the papers on his desk, Thora sighed,

“It  _ might  _ work. I just don’t want to risk a slip-up, we are on thin ice, Lahlas,” she said softly. Lahlas stilled, a weary expression on his face, he walked around the desk and kissed the dwarfs palm.

“I know, I was just getting excited,” he said softly. Solas seemed uncomfortable watching the scene before him and Katari shot him a concerned glance before she could ask anything, however, Lahlas brightened,

“Balof!” he exclaimed, (if things could not get any stranger) a tall alamari man stood in the doorway, “I everyone ready?” he asked, the gruff man nodded,

“Aye,” he said, an elven woman ran out from behind him, painted like an avvar. She went over to a mirror, looking at herself in curiosity. 

“An ingenious idea really,” said Lahlas, “they look like small humans from a distance and it covers the vasallin,” he said, The Alamari chuckled,

“Sometimes the simple stuff is the most effective,” he muttered, clearly proud of himself for coming up with such an idea. “We’ll be in the mountains in a half a month,” said Balof “If we continue at a decent pace the route should be complicated enough to throw the hunters off track,” Lahlas approached the man with a smile,

“I owe you much Balof- It is lucky that we found you,” he said, the human shrugged.

“You owe me nothing,” said Balof “Only a drink,” he added as an afterthought, Lahlas laughed,

“Very well my friend,” the scene faded away until only the room remained.

 

“Are you alright?” asked Katari, her brows furrowed in concern. Solas snapped from a deep reverie and glanced at her with slightly unfocused eyes,

“Yes, I am quite well,” he said “I am surprised, that is all” He was surprised indeed. The scrolls in the study had already hinted at something along these lines after all the slavery of the elves had existed long before Solas and he wasn’t so foolish to believe that he was the first person to resist it. It was just that, even in his wildest imaginings he had never thought dwarves or the humans to be a part of it. Sure, while the alamari back then had been a simple, they were still more like people than the humans of the current age. More had been mages back then and while crude they had been in touch with the world in a way that modern humans simply were not. And as for the dwarves… While Solas considered them an intelligent people, their inability to dream had always made him feel a disconnection with them. Katari observed him for a moment

“It’s the involvement of the dwarf and the avvar isn’t it?” she asked quietly. Solas had quite forgotten how observant Katari could be- it was truly unnerving.  He wondered if he had been ignorant to assume that the other races were apathetic to his people’s slavery, probably.  _ It was after all the ignorance of the elves that had made the Balof’s plan so effective- no one would have ever thought to look for escaped slaves with the alamari.  _ He thought back to how the elves had lost the Dales to the chantry, they had turned their back on their allies, their prejudice had become their downfall. 

“It is,” he admitted, glancing over to her, “I had not considered the possibility of dwarven or human involvement in the liberation of slaves,” he said. Katari seemed to mull over his words,

“You did not think humans or dwarves would be sympathetic towards the suffering of the elves,” she said, that is what he had meant of course, although he had not wanted to say it.

“I did not,” he agreed, something akin to recognition slipped into Katari's features, 

“Perhaps because the elves had never been openly sympathetic towards them,” she said gently. Solas let her words sink into his mind. She had managed to put into words something he had never consciously thought only felt. “You thought the elves to be superior and you were too proud to think that others may pity you- that they were capable of an empathy that most elves weren’t,” she said. Solas finally looked to her, unable to find a fault with anything she had said but he knew no way of saying so without having to admit it.

“Am I ignorant?” he whispered, he didn’t want to be. Katari shook her head,

“Perhaps a little in the literal sense but not with the connotations of it- I would not consider you narrow-minded,” she said. She had always gotten the sense that Solas had regarded the elves as superior but he had never treated people with hatred only disdain… he seemed the sort that would give someone a chance but very rarely a second one. Solas frowned, she herself had been the victim of ignorance, so how could she still look at him with kindness? 

“You give me more credit than I deserve,” he said. Katari shook her head once again,

“It easier to pretend that no one would offer you kindness than admit that you need it,” she said, “It was easier to imagine that the humans and dwarves envied the perfection of Arlathan than admit that your people weren’t as perfect as you wanted them to be. You loved your people and it hurt you to see them be the cause of their own troubles,” she glanced up at him as if to gauge whether she was correct or not, Solas looked at her in astonishment. What she said hit with such a force that he felt winded, the realization was so overwhelming yet the truth of it resonated deeply within him.

“How did you know that?” he asked, how did she figure out something in seconds that he had not realized after thousands of years. 

“You think I don’t know what that is like?” she said softly before she looked at him with conviction and pain in her eyes. “To know people with holes still cut into their lips and who are so scared of their own magic that they drink themselves unconscious so that they don’t dream? To live a life on the run, scared to have families because you would rather never have children than have them face the fear and prejudice you face every day? I know a man who was in the beresaad, he is eight feet tall and he screams and cries and the sound of clashing metal because it reminds him of the things the Qun had him do. The Qun has broken my people-And then I meet people like Bull, who are kind-hearted and are good to the core and I am supposed to hate them!” her voice had grown angry, her eyes glistening a little “but it is not the qun to blame for all of it, Tal-vashoth do bad things too! And it confuses me… it may not seem so at times but I am proud to be a Vashoth,” she said, her voice softening once again “and it hurts because I wish we were right, ‘cause it would be easier just to hate everyone else… but that would be wrong,” she said, finally coming to an end of her speech, “I understand, Solas, because that is exactly how I once felt,” 

 

There was a moment of heavy silence. Katari was such a quiet person and whenever she spoke it sounded as if she had figured everything out, he had not realized that such conflict resided within her. He looked at her with wide eyes and parted lips, not expecting so many words and such passion from her, he had not realized how hard she tried to be kind and understanding, that it did not come as naturally to her as he had assumed. She understood. She understood the conflict, pain, and anger he felt towards his own people; it was not sympathy it was empathy. What he failed to grasp was how she had recognized her own flaws so easily and was already on the path to fixing them in less than two years. He brushed his fingers against her forearm,

“You have taught me to understand a part of myself that I did not realize was there,” he said quietly. He breathed out a chuckle, “I did not realize you could be so passionate, Da’len,” this was enough to shift the atmosphere to something more light-hearted, Katari chuckled a little also, albeit bashfully.

“I rarely let myself say so much,” she said before looking up at him, “I like to think before I speak,” she said. Solas smiled a little, 

“Emotions come easier to us in the fade- things are more fluid,” he explained, Katari had noticed how much more talkative Solas was in fade also- she had assumed it because he was so passionate about it. I seemed that neither one of them let their guard down in the waking world- the truths they had shared with one another made them a little less guarded. Solas remembered yet another reason they had come here,

“Come  _ Falon.  _ I think you and wisdom would get along,” he said, and he was right. Telling him off and pointing out things he hadn’t noticed seemed to be a shared interest of theirs.

“Lead the way, Old man,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am publishing this at 3 AM and am severely sleep deprived please forgive any spelling mistakes, I will correct them later. LOL who needs sleep and healthy lifestyle? I have obsessive fanfic writing to do!


	58. Spirits, Scars and Statues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari meets Wisdom and the morning in the Dalish camp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice long chapter for you guys! I think this worked better as one long chapter than two short ones, oh well. I do believe this has just reached 100,000k. It ended up being a much longer story than I intended but I am enjoying it nonetheless, it is rather fitting two as in a few weeks it will be this fic's first anniversary! I hope it's not too long for you guys, enjoy!

 

They were in Katari’s dream, only this time it was griffon dream again. The griffon in question was circling idly in the sky, letting out a screech Into the clouds. 

“I will return in a moment,” said Solas “Wisdom will be looking for me in my own dream,” he said before walking off into the distance. Katari nodded, deciding to sit with her legs dangling over the cliff edge. Out of all her dreams, this was probably her favorite; it wasn’t scary or intrusive and she quite enjoyed the sight of the Griffon playing.  _ I should probably name him.  _ She thought It was  _ him _ ; she could sense it. 

“Baron I think,” she mused aloud “You seem like a Baron to me,” she nodded, Baron it was. It was after she had said this that the griffon landed nearby. Katari jumped in surprise, it had never done that before. The griffon tilted its head before slowly approaching her. Katari got to her feet,  _ It liked being given a name  _ she realized, It was not of course a griffon that approached her but a spirit. She tilted her head like the griffon had,

“Do you like the name?” she asked, there was a moment before Baron responded with a contented rumble. Katari chuckled, she did not think it was a spirit like Wisdom- a wisp perhaps- it did not seem able to speak to her, only convey a sense of emotion. Spirit or wisp, Katari was curious nonetheless, “do you come to visit often?” she asked, “I have this dream quite a lot, is that always you?” The griffin bobbed it’s head a little. Some might have felt foolish having such a one sided conversation but Katari did not mind- it was more company than she had most nights. “Do you like being a griffon?” she asked, “I think it must be nice,” 

 

Solas had found Wisdom quickly. She had taken on the form of an elven woman, not quite corporeal in appearance as she was somewhat translucent and had a glowing blue hue. 

“Katari?” she asked “The little qunari with unusual dreams?” Solas nodded, 

“I told her a little more of who I am,” he said, pausing for a moment, “She took it very well- it seems she is not easily shaken,” Wisdom smiled, 

“It was about time you had a friend in the waking world,” she said. Spirits were so much more expressive than people, withholding anything would be against their nature. She put a hand to Solas cheek, “It pains me to see you disconnected from the world you tried so hard to save,” she said, Solas smiled a little at her. One might expect a spirit of wisdom to act scholarly or aloof but Wisdom was much more like the friend or older sister one went to when you had screwed up and needed a hand. 

“I think she scolded me,” said Solas, reflecting on their earlier discussion. “She  _ implied  _ that I was ignorant,” he mused. Wisdom seemed to contemplate this for a moment,

“And was she right?” she asked,  it was less a question about Katari and more about whether or not he had learned anything. Solas paused

“To some extent,” he said softly before his expression lightened, “Come, I think you should like to meet her,” 

 

They were somewhere between dreams in the raw fade- no man’s land if you will- when Solas made a move to step into katari’s dream,

“I cannot enter,” said wisdom. Solas frowned and turned to her,

“Whatever do you mean?” he asked but then he noticed it, as a dreamer it had little effect on him. A few hundred wisps lingered outside her dream. “I have never seen so many surround a single person,” he said. Their collective energy had formed a sort of barrier- preventing spirits from crossing it, “I wonder wh-”  He was cut short by a roar that could only have belonged to a rage demon, he spun around immediately- ready to attack- only to see a very strange sight unfold before him,

“They are attacking it,” said wisdom, It was quite amusing to look at really. The fiery demon being tackled by dozens upon dozens of orbs of light, it ran off- clawing at the wisps covering it. He furrowed his brows,

“The wisps are defending her- that explains why she had never encountered any demons,” he said. That explained the how but it did not explain the why. 

“How odd,” said Wisdom, she turned to him, “They also give her knowledge?”  Solas nodded,

“They do,” he said, “Can you ask them why?” he asked. Wisdom would have better luck understanding the strange string of emotions they communicated with.

“I can try,” said wisdom, There was a long pause before she continued, “They won’t tell me, they just say that they don’t trust us- they don’t want us to hurt her,” Wisps were somewhat like toddlers, intelligent enough to recognise different things but not clever enough to draw conclusions from them.  Solas raised a brow, he found wisps fascinating yet frustrating. 

“Would you  _ please  _ let us pass?” he asked, he could of course get rid of them but he would prefer not to. The orbs seemed to think before Wisdom smiled,

“They will let us pass,” she said before following Solas into the dream. 

Katari got to her feet when he saw Solas reappear, this time with a glowing blue woman beside him. She had never met a spirit in the fade before and it really was quite strange, she seemed old yet young all at once and several of her other senses were thrown off. 

“ _ Da’len,”  _ greeted Solas “This is Wisdom,” Katari was quite unsure how to greet her, opting for a polite nod,

“Solas has spoken of you,” she said with a small smile, Wisdom smiled back broadly,

“And he has spoken of you,” she returned, Wisdom reached for Katari’s arm. “Come small one, I have questions about qunari music,” Katari almost laughed at that, not expecting her to instantly start poking and prodding her for information. Solas blinked in surprise at the interaction but seemed amused nonetheless. 

 

They talked for a little while longer, Solas occasionally answering and asking questions along with them but they were soon reminded of the waking world and how they needed to return soon. 

 

Solas was Slow to awake, even with the veilfire and his trusty elvhen eye-sight it was still dark enough for it to take a few moments to rose himself. It would be best that they awoke before the others, he did not want to explain why they had shown up late dripping wet. He rolled onto his side, wandering how light it was outside and remembering that they would have to swim again before they could get back,  _ well that is certainly one way to wake up _ he thought to himself, shuddering when he realised how could it would be in the morning. He spared a glance over at katari (whose back was turned to him) and could not help but examine the many scars she had all over her. He wondered how many she had before she awoke on that mountainside and how many were from after. She had mentioned how she had been found bleeding out and wondered which wounds were the cause. While she did have many, most of them weren’t really noticeable unless you were as close as he was now, it was only the large or recent ones that could be seen from a distance, She began to stir and Solas tore his eyes away from her when he realised that he had been staring at her skin for quite some time.  

 

Once Katari had awoken they navigated their way back through the ruin, 

“How did you enjoy your first journey into the deep fade?” asked Solas, remembering to keep his eyes on her face this time, he didn’t want it to look like he was leering at her or make her uncomfortable. She smiled a little,

“I could feel the shift in energy between my dream and yours,” she said “It was strange- though interesting,”  Solas’ lip twitched,

“You may not realise it,” he began “But your dreams are incredibly vivid, the vision we saw might have been overwhelming to anyone else. Most aspects of a dream are suggested but in deeper parts of the fade or in a dream like yours every detail is rendered- sights and the other sense,” they were approaching the watery stairwell and Katari paused to look at the mosaics once again,

“This place has been kept a secret for so long… do you think we should tell anyone?” she asked quietly, Solas tilted his head- it would be unfortunate if anyone was to discover some of the documents within,

“It has a wealth of knowledge and wealth the inquisition could make use of,” he said “but I would rather not see something so well preserved be sacked by soldiers,” Katari nodded,

“I agree,” she said softly “It might seem strange to say so but It would feel almost sacrilegious to disturb the tranquility of it,” she was running her fingers over the tiles, examining the different colors. This time Solas let himself smile a little,

“No, you are right,” he said “Besides, it would probably spark conflict with the Dalish- this is technically a part of their camp,” he mused. Katari turned to face him,

“Then it is best if it isn’t found at all,” she mused, Solas tilted his head,

“What are you thinking?” he asked, Katari seemed to think a while longer before she said,

“Once we are out we could knock the pillars over- cover the entrance,” she said quietly. Solas eyes glinted with recognition, 

“It would keep the air pocket intact but make it inaccessible,” he said turning to look at the water “It would work, I-” It was at that moment that Katari snuck up on him and pushed him in. 

 

Solas resurfaced spluttering, Katari was clutching her sides with laughter- the opportunity had seemed to good to resist. She had taken him completely by surprise,

“Why you-” he began, katari jumped in the water also- splashing him in the process- 

“Race you to the surface,” she said before diving under the water. He was after her in a second, only a few feet behind, at one point she had even  _ shoved  _ him back with her aura. It was quicker swimming to the surface than it was swimming to the bottom- the air pulled you upwards. Katari was first to emerge from the water, only for Solas use his aura to pull her under and emerge a second later.  “I was still first,  _ Herasi _ ” gasped katari when she remerged, Solas shoved her with his aura, 

“That did not make it any less satisfying,  _ Da’len, _ ” he smirked, Katari’s aura shoved his back,

“What is the elvhen word for  **prick,** _ Ghil’lan?”  _ she muttered, 

“I don’t know, what is the qunari word for Childish?” he quipped. Katari splashed water at him, 

“Seemed perfectly knowledgeable about Elvhen cussing a few days ago, Solas,” she said, Solas ears turned a little pink at that,

“I didn’t think you would understand,” he said, Katari chuckled,

“Clearly,” she said, He used his magic to ice the water around her, 

“Solas!” she said, splashing him again “That is hardly fair,” she scolded, “But then again neither is this!” she said, shoving his head under the water while he was off guard. The settled down after that, remembering that they still had to cover the entrance.

 

They dragged themselves from the water, exhausted from pushing over the stone pillars through both physical and magical means. Katari rolled onto her back,

“All that and it’s not even noon,” she said. They had chosen not to knock over the statue, it had seemed disrespectful. Looking at it now, it bore a strong resemblance to the elf from their dream- a sister or mother perhaps. Solas got to his feet,

“We are up earlier than I had intended,” he said, it wasn’t even fully light yet; the sun was barely peeking over the horizon. He offered a hand to help her up from the ground, she took it and joined him on her feet. 

“we better put our clothes on,” chuckled Katari, walking over to the willow tree where they had stashed their belongings. 

 

Solas dried them both off with a spell and both of them dressed with their backs turned from one another. It was strange, they had spent the last evening in their smallclothes and solas in his breeches yet there was something about getting dressed in front of one another that seemed too intimate.  Once they were dressed Katari put a few hair pins in her teeth, ready to put her hair into a bun when she realised that the braid Solas had put into her hair (although loosened) had miraculously remained. Seeing no reason to take it out she coiled that into a bun instead, using a few pins to keep it in place. She leaned over to look at her reflection in the water and smiled at the sight below her, tilting her head from side to side to look at it. Her hair wasn’t pulled back at tightly as it normally was, fluffed up to give her a distinctly softer and more feminine appearance. She felt a little silly that such a simple thing gave her such pleasure but as a pit fighter, she had hardly ever had the time to put effort into her appearance. When Solas saw Katari leaning over the bank, he was tempted to push her in as revenge for earlier but he knew it would be foolish since they had only just gotten dry, he noticed that she had kept in the braid from earlier and didn’t know why such a thing was so satisfying to him.  Katari got to her feet,

“It will be an hour or so until the others are awake,” she said, “what do you suppose we do until then?”, Solas tilted his head. 

“There was another ruin I had to explore until we discovered this one, we don’t have time to dream there but we can at least explore it for a while,” he said “it’s not far from the camp,” 

 

The ruin was small, two walls and a stone archway remained atop it’s raised foundation, nature reclaiming what had been built there. There was a wide path leading up to the camp- a few tents visible at the end, like the entrances to almost all dalish camps, a Fen'harel statue was nearby. Katari caught sight of it and smiled a little,

“Home, sweet home,” she said, Solas frowned,

“Pardon?” he asked confused, Katari realised how odd that would sound out of context and wandered her way over to the statue, Solas close behind.

“The Dalish wouldn’t let me sleep in the camp,” she said, looking up at the statue “Fen’Harel here kept the wind off me,” she said before she chuckled to herself, “Think it freaked them out a bit actually, wouldn’t come so close to me if I sat here,” Solas blinked at the coincidence, it was odd to hear her say the name without talking in reference to  _ him.  _ It was all very ironic,

“The dalish place his statues on the outskirts of the camps to scare away demons, it is one of their superstitions,” he said as an explanation, Katari tilted her head.

“I have never understood that,” she said, The statue was about three feet taller than her and she was looking up at it curiously,

“He is believed to be a trickster,” he said, Katari shook her head,

“It’s not that,” she said “If he is supposed to scare away demons why do they carve his face to look so… gentle?” She had reached up a hand to touch the wolf’s snout in an almost affectionate gesture. Solas had been silent as he watched the scene unfold before him, the sight of it creating this strange sensation in his chest. He was undeniably moved by it but could not help but think that she would look upon the statue differently if she knew he was. 

“It has been thousands of years,” said Solas “How they had originally perceived him may have changed,” he said quietly. 

 

They were walking back to camp when Katari asked,

“You wear an animal skull in the dream I had of you,” She said, glancing at his pendant “is it from the same animal?” she asked. Solas chuckled at the memory,

“I used to wear it on my forehead,” he said, “I thought it looked rather charming at the time,” he lifted the pendant in his hand, looking at it fondly. “It would look quite foolish without hair, I took to wearing the jawbone around my neck instead,” Katari recalled the image of a younger Solas,

“I think it looked charming,” she said “though I image having it as a pendant is more practical,” she agreed, Solas remembered her original question,

“It’s from a wolf,” he said “A lone male lived in the mountains where I grew up, the sight of him grew familiar and when I found his body I kept it- a part of my childhood to carry with me,” It was strange to hear Solas talk like this- freely, as if he wasn’t thinking about what he was saying. “Do you have a fondness for a certain creature?” he asked, curious to see what qualities she appreciated in an animal,

“I’ve always had a fondness for birds,” she said “but I think peregrines are my favourite; I love their large, intelligent eyes,” she said, her own eyes twinkling with enthusiasm. “And their method of hunting is simply fascinating,” she mused, Solas tilted his head in interest,

“Oh?” he asked, he had never really paid attention to the behaviour of birds afterall,

“The fly high up into the sky and when they see their prey they close their wings and let themselves fall. They hit them with such a force that they are often killed instantly, opening their wings just in time to stop their fall,” she said “They make their body and arrow- it is elegant yet deadly,” Solas considered that for a moment, it must be a striking thing to watch, a bird rustled in a nearby try, the harsh morning rays of the rising sun blocking in a silhouette. Katari recognised it as a sparrow and raised her hands to her mouth to mimic its song, beaming when it returned with it’s own tune. The corner of Solas lip twitched upwards before her rose  hands to his own lips and let out a short howl, within moments a wolf responded from the forest. Katari turned to him with an impressed smile, only to jump when she heard a second howl much closer than she’d like, Solas chuckled, before they knew it a couple of other wolves joined in- no doubt scaring the superstitious Dalish shitless,

“You did that on purpose didn’t you,” accused Katari when she heard gasps coming from a Dalish tent, Solas rose a brow,

“Maybe,” he said. It was Evelyn’s disgruntled voice that came next,

“Alright, who set the wolves off?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my grammar checker acted up today so I'm sorry for any small faults I've looked over


	59. finer things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari is reminded of the winter ball and her agreement with Vivienne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a little chapter guys, don't worry another one is on the way!

“The Winter Ball is coming soon,” said Evelyn as they rode, catching a leaf as it fell past her and holding it up to examine Its colors in the sun, she turned her head to look back at the others, “how are we all feeling about that?” she asked. Sera blew a raspberry,

“Load of posh twats prancin’ around, the assassins will be the best bit!” she said, only looking forward to the violence and prank opportunities. While the ball itself lasted the duration of a single evening, guests were expected to arrive a day early and leave after another day- a precaution to keep people arriving fashionably late and disrupting the order of things. 

“Have you decided who you are going to bring along for the fighting?” asked Bull. There had been a variety of opinions regarding this, some were eager to get out of the ballroom and focus on what they were best at while others like Vivienne and Dorian that they stay inside to make the most of their courtly experience. Evelyn tilted her head from side to side,

“Sort of,” she said “It is probably best that I bring Cole with me- keep him from the ballroom for as long as possible,” she explained, she didn’t want to imagine the kind of trouble he could cause if left unsupervised. “I’ll bring Blackwall or Cassandra and probably you, Sera,” she said. Sera punched the air in glee,

“Fuck yeah,” she muttered. Bull smirked,

“Leaving me all alone in the ballroom, boss?” he asked. Evelyn tutted,

“Don’t think I’m going to let your Ben Hassarath training go to waste, Bull. Besides, I think the might notice the absence of a seven-feet-fucking-tall Qunari,” she said. Bull chuckled,

“Fair enough,” he said before he turned to look at Solas and Katari who rode alongside one another. “What about you Katari? Upset to be missing out on the action?” he asked. Katari shrugged,

“I was never up for consideration anyway,” she said “so I’m not disappointed,” Solas and Bull frowned,

“What do you mean?” asked Bull “You’re a strong fighter,” It was Evelyn who answered. 

“Leliana, Josephine and Vivienne seem quite keen on using her to charm the court,” she said. Bull blinked in surprise- Katari was indeed lovely but hardly the social type- he had expected her to be out and about punching people. Katari looked down at her reins for a moment,

“Vivienne seemed to be impressed by my speaking abilities after I stood up to her- she asked me to become her student in the way of the game,” she said quietly. Solas didn’t know why Vivienne’s offer made him feel uneasy- perhaps it was because she may try and pollute her mind with her circle magic. Bull hummed in consideration, it  _ had  _ been rather impressive. Sera leaned out of her saddle,

“Oi! Katari,” she called from up ahead “You gonna wear a dress?” she asked. Katari turned pink, “I don’t know,” she said bashfully, Bull chuckled 

“Oh come on Katari! Wear something pink!” he said gleefully “You can spin around on the dancefloor looking like a cupcake!” he was obviously joking but it didn’t stop Katari from turning an alarming shade of red. Solas wondered if it reminded her of being called ‘sweet thing’ by Maraas,

“Oh dear,” said Katari, Solas rose a brow,

“What is it Katari?” he asked, she looked deathly terrified,

“I have never danced before,” she admitted, Bull patted her on the back,

“You’ll be  _ fine, _ ” he said.

Katari had been called to Vivienne’s room upon her return, she sent one last glance at the others before walking up the steps,  _ here goes nothing  _ she thought to herself. 

 

“Katari,” greeted Vivienne as she stepped through her door. The room was a far cry from the spartan Ferelden bedroom it had originally been; It doubled as both a bedchamber and a parlor with fine Orlesian decorations and furnishings- blue and gold dominating the color scheme. “Sit,” said the enchanter, gesturing to a periwinkle chaise lounge. Katari hesitantly perched on the edge, unsure whether she was too dirty and may ruin it.  “Humility will serve you well darling but a lack of confidence will make you appear as an easy target,” said Vivienne, her sharp eyes picking up on Katari’s hesitancy. She came to sit beside her, crossing her ankles delicately as she did so. Katari said nothing, “Your silence is also admirable,” said the enchanter “but in order to play the game you must learn when a situation calls for silence and when a situation calls for words,” Katari rose,

“When you have nothing nice to say…” she said, Vivienne hummed in approval. 

“See? That is kind of wit you are capable of. Tell me, dear, why do I not hear it from you more often?” she asked, Katari paused for a moment,

“Because I do not trust you,” she said. Vivienne poured herself a cup of tea from the elegant bone china set on the table,

“You must not trust anyone dear,” she said “But you must always appear as though you are confident even when you are not, lest someone seeks to find a weakness,” their conversation continued a while longer. 

 

“We must decide how you wish to appear to the court,” said Vivienne “You are a Tal-vashoth, a mage, and a woman- all three of these aspects require attention, we must ask ourselves how each of these might be used against us and how they might work in our favor,” She poured a second cup for Katari who listened intently “Consider these three aspects the topics of your lessons with me,” she said “With only a month until the ball you must meet with me five times a week,” Katari blinked in surprise, 

“Six times a week?” she asked, she sparred from Monday to Thursday, taking lessons from Solas and Dorian in the afternoons and spending the whole of Friday with them. On the weekends she helped in the smithy and used whatever time she had left for leisure. 

“You must learn in a month what most people take years to understand- we are somewhat pressed for time,” she said, “on Thursdays, all inner circle members are learning the dances and customs of the ball,” she added. Katari frowned,  _ only four dancing lessons?  _ She thought  _ I’m going to need one of those miracles that humans always go on about!  _


	60. the lessons of an enchanter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari begins her lessons with Vivienne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta da! the last chapter was more of a filler to make the transition between these two work better, I hope you enjoy this one!

 

Solas had been quite disappointed to learn his lessons would be canceled for the next month, as had Dorian. The three of them had settled into a comfortable routine and it displeased greatly them to have it disrupted. In fact, Solas saw very little of Katari for the following days- he and Dorian found themselves with a great deal of spare time that neither of them quite knew what to do with. He would sometimes see her in the mornings, she would stop by the rotunda on her way to Vivienne’s room to tell him about an interesting dream she had the night before, she would wave at him as she walked passed the doorway or less often she would dart passed already late for her lesson. He had taken her presence for granted and often found himself going to look for her -ready to show her something or ask her to translate a word in qunlat- only to realize she was with Vivienne. In order to fill the gap in his schedule, he had taken it upon himself to continue his frescos. 

 

His mural had become his way of trying to understand things, looking at the recent events of this world through the eyes of an elven artist. He had completed the explosion of the temple of sacred ashes, the founding of the Inquisition and Redcliffe and was in the process of completing the destruction of haven, his fingers stained with orange pigment. These were not mere paintings, however, the process was lengthy; applying layers of pigment and plaster until the images became permanent fixtures on the wall. He had come very close to setting Dorian on fire when the magister had suggested that ‘it needed a bit more green’ and almost picked up a brush. Solas sighed, it was something only an immortal man had the patience for. In a way, it was also a gift for the Inquisition, restoring a long lost art to it. He stepped back from the wall to examine it from a distance; he was still sketching in most of it. He paused for a moment before slowly sketching in the silhouette of a bird fleeing the flames- a peregrine. 

 

Katari meanwhile was listening to Vivienne. The enchanter had spent the last few days covering the basics of the game, the current political situation of Orlais and courtly etiquette.  They were sat on the balcony of the great hall, 

“The Inquisitor tells me that you speak some Orlesian,” said the Enchanter “how much do you know?” Katari raked her mind for the handful of Orlesian she knew, she did not know as much as she did Antivan or even Elvhen. 

“assez... pour comprendre, enchanteur,” she said in a drawling Orlesian accent. Vivienne gave her an approving nod, 

“Very good, my dear,” said the Enchanter “or should I say  _ très bon, mon cher,”  _ Vivienne had seemed to warm up to Katari (or at least begin to respect her) in these past few days, going from icy indifference to cool contentedness. “What other languages are you familiar with?” she asked, common was spoken by everyone but nobility learned their native language for the sake of prestige- It was very impressive that Katari had learned so much as a mercenary. 

“Antivan, Elvhen, Avvar, and Qunlat… but I imagine that only the former would be useful at the ball,” she said, while she disagreed with the Enchanter with many things she had come to respect her for her intelligence and her composure. Vivienne shook her head, 

“Not necessarily my dear, It would surely impress quite a few members of the court- it makes you appear cosmopolitan and clever… Elvhen might be more useful than you think, remember that Briala is also a pawn in this game,” she said, Katari nodded,

“I had almost forgotten,” she said softly. Vivienne got to her feet,

“Your first dance lessons will be in an hour,” she said “walk with me,”

 

Vivienne led Katari back to her room, to Katari’s surprise a few women waited inside- three elves and a human. Vivienne closed the door behind her, 

“You’re getting fitted for some new clothes- I have heard that your current wardrobe is… limited,” she said, and for the briefest moment, Katari saw what might have been kindness in the enchanter's eyes. 

“ _ Merci,”  _ she said softly, the enchanter smiled. 

“Come along, dear. Let's get you into something other than those horrid leathers,” she said. Katari smirked  _ … and the real Vivienne is back.  _ She thought. 

 

“Oh dear,” said Katari “how many layers does one dress even need?” she asked. The Elven girls who were dressing her giggled. She had been given one dress to wear every day while the designs for the others were sent away to be tailored. Katari was simply baffled by the numbers of laces and layers. Over her breast band, she wore a fine muslin slip, over that she wore a petticoat and she had been given a pair of warm woolen stockings and garters and that was only the first layers. On top, she wore a white dress with tight-fitting sleeves with a muted blue overskirt and bodice that was not unlike the leather vest she often wore. They were simple ferelden clothes yet they felt very grand to a woman who had only worn a skirt once before. Vivienne was talking to the seamstress at the side, discussing all the outfits for Ball. Once the girls were done tightening the bodice Katari looked down at her skirts, examining brown embroidery on the hem. “Thank you,” she told them “It will take ages for me to take it off all by myself,” she joked, which earned her a laugh from the younger one. She padded barefoot over to where Vivienne stood to look at the designs on the table. 

“Here are the new designs,” said the seamstress in a thick Val Royeaux accent. The inquisitor had turned down the initial red, gold and blue designs with a  _ ‘maker what were they thinking? _ ’ The new color scheme was black and grey with accents of silver and white for the trouser suits and those who wearing dresses would be in red. The inquisitor had also requested that there was a bit more variation in the outfits insisting that the coordinated color scheme would be enough to make them recognizable. Vivienne turned to Katari,

“What do you think, darling?” she asked -as if testing her. Katari examined them curiously, she was surprised to see that only three of them would be wearing dresses. Cassandra, Bull, and Blackwall would be wearing black boots and doublets with gold fastenings and epaulets with grey trousers, Cassandra's was slightly different because her doublet was more like a long black coat with a gold sash around the waist and the inquisition emblem was emblazoned oh its chest.  

“Bull should have a gold eyepatch made,” said Katari “the silver one wouldn’t go,” she said, Vivienne nodded,

“I hadn’t thought of that,” she mused, the seamstress quickly noted it down. 

Katari examined the others, Cullen and leliana would be wearing white double-breasted jackets with gold buttons and black capes. Cullen’s cape had the inquisition crest on it in grey to match his trousers, it was designed to be worn over one shoulder- fastened in place by a gold rope. Leliana’s was very similar only it was fitted to a woman’s shape. Her cape was much longer (befitting a spymaster), designed to be worn over both shoulders and was gold on the underside. Herr trousers were also white unlike Cullen’s and her boots were gold and grey instead of black. They were both lovely. The rogues it seemed had similar outfits. A white and gold doublet with a grey and black coat with black trousers and boots. Varric doublet was closer to a shirt (which he would probably leave unbuttoned to show off his chest hair) and Sera’s doublet was like a long tunic with leggings instead of trousers but otherwise, they looked alike. Once again, Katari couldn’t see a flaw with any of these. Solas and Dorian’s were next.

Dorian’s outfit consisted of a grey tunic with a white open shirt collar, black trousers and thigh high boots and a black cape that was attached to the tunic with ornate gold fixings- Katari suggested that the inquisition crest should be on the chest of his tunic. She then looked at Solas’ design; black trousers and boots, a grey high necked tunic and a black cape that went over one shoulder. Katari recalled the Solas from her vision and quietly suggested that the collar should be gold, transitioning into the tunic in a sharp v. Vivienne seemed surprised by the suggestion but told the seamstress to write it down anyway. Vivienne sent the seamstress away and ushered Katari towards a mirror,

“Take a look at yourself, darling,” she said before going to fetch the boots she had gotten for her. Katari blinked in surprise, the neckline of her dress was square, the bodice lifting her breasts to show some cleavage and making her waist look quite tiny. She looked like a woman, not a female qunari, a  _ woman.  _ She did not realize that her bosom was quite so full or her hips so wide- she bound her breasts down for practicality and her leathers weren’t designed to show off the figure. 

“I look like a woman,” she said quietly, not a girl either  _ a woman.  _ She couldn’t seem to stop thinking that over and over again, feeling somewhat dumbstruck. Vivienne passed her the boots,

“Come along, it’s time for dance lessons,” called the enchanter. Katari froze,  _ oh dear.  _

 


	61. shall we dance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katari has her first dance lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a slightly fluffy one for you all. I actually used to do ballroom dancing so writing this and finding cultural parallels was fun! hope you enjoy!

The other eleven inner circle members were crowded awkwardly in the great hall (Cole was absent), which had been cleared of all others so that they didn’t have an audience. 

“Have you any experience with dancing Cullen?” asked Dorian. Cullen gave a nervous chuckle, 

“A Remingold at satinalia once or twice but nothing like this,” he said, Dorian hummed.

“I danced quite a lot growing up- plenty of magisterium functions to go to,” he mused before turning to Solas who was busy talking to Blackwall,

“And what of you two?” he asked, Blackwall shrugged,

“Been to a party or two over the years- managed a pretty good waltz once,” he said. Solas tilted his head,

“I’ve seen plenty of dances in the fade,” he said, Dorian scoffed,

“Extensive experience then- not including your naked moonlight dancing through the woods of course,” he said, Blackwall chuckled. Solas rose a brow,

“Almost as extensive as your experience with styling your hair, Dorian,” he quipped. Dorian put a hand over his heart,

“You wound me,” he said. Sera was getting impatient,

“Oi! How long until we can get this shit over and done?” 

 

Katari’s heels were only an inch tall- that did not stop her from concentrating as she walked down the steps- although she felt unlikely to fall over she did not know quite how to hold herself while wearing them. It didn’t help that she also had to lift her skirts as she did so, she found herself counting the steps as she went  _ five… six… seven.  _ It was because of her intense concentration that she did not notice the staring. 

 

Blackwall had stopped mid-sentence, causing Solas to follow his line of sight. Blackwall smiled, he enjoyed seeing a more feminine side to her as much as he enjoyed seeing her fight. He may also have noticed how bosom moved as she walked down the steps. 

 

Solas’ lip twitched as he saw her staring intently at her feet, the intensity of her focus endearing. Katari had excellent balance and an awareness of herself that made Solas question whether her concentration on her footsteps was a way of distracting herself from worrying. She had seemed intimidated by the prospect of dancing when it had been brought up earlier. She was comfortable with being a pit fighter and a qunari, she had been taught how to be those things but the life of a mercenary had left her unprepared for dancing or for dresses oe how to be anything else. He wondered if being a pit fighter had become her armor as being a dreamer had become his- an unknown, a wildcard that people would hesitate before messing with- and now when she was expected to be anything but she found herself defenseless.  

 

Dorian smiled at the sight of her, 

“Katari!” he greeted, coming up to her side. “You look simply enchanting,” Katari chuckled at his exuberance, 

“And your mustache looks as glorious as it always does,” she said, Dorian smiled,

“I knew I liked you for a reason,” he responded, twiddling the end of end of his mustache fondly before taking her arm, “Come along now,” he said twirling her under his arm “time to learn your steps,” Katari stumbled a little but couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics.

 

Leliana, Josephine, Dorian, Evelyn, and Vivienne were already familiar with the dances -having lived their lives around nobility and courts- and ended up being the instructors. Cassandra was also familiar with dancing but had refused outright to join in, opting instead to watch from the side beside Varric who was too short to dance with anyone comfortably. This did, of course, mean that there were more students than teachers and that there would always be one person without a partner but they would have to work around it. Vivienne Had conjured up the music Via magical means to most people’s surprise and stepped forward,

“There are three standard dances we are required to learn,” said the Enchanter  “The waltz, the rotary waltz, and the foxtrot,” she said, ignoring Sera’s eye-rolling “The rotary Waltz is much older and faster than the standard waltz and is therefore considered more impressive by the court's standards. In addition to these three, each attending nation has a dance of their own- you will not be required to learn these but there is of course the chance you may be asked to dance, so it is best to at least familiarise yourself with the basic steps,” Katari was fidgeting with the sleeve of her dress, Solas gently pushed his aura against hers in reassurance. In truth Solas quite enjoyed dancing, depending on the dance and the partner one could have quite a pleasant time. Josephine piped up at this,

“The Antivan’s dance the paso doble for example,” said Josephine, Dorian nodded 

“And in the unlikely scenario of Tevene guests we would dance the Tevene Tango ,” he said “Though I do believe their is a watered down version of it practiced by Nevarran nobility if i’m not mistaken,” he mused, Cassandra nodded,

“There is,” she stated simply. Vivienne clapped her hands, 

“The waltz!” she announced. 

 

Cullen eagerly offered to step out for the first session, as there was an odd number. Vivienne was teaching Bull, Josephine taught Sera, Evelyn danced with Solas and Dorian had taken it upon himself to instruct Katari. 

“That’s right,” said Dorian, “left hand on my shoulder and your right in my left,” he said, shifting her slightly to the left. He placed his hand on her waist, and on the beat of the song led her a step forward and then a step back then two steps to the side, “Good, now we go travelling, one.. Two.. three…”  he began turning them as they moved, she faltered once or twice, stepping in the wrong direction. “Okay now, one, two ,three… and spin!” he said twirling her steadily under his arm as they continued before coming to a halt. “There we go!” he said “Was that so bad?” he asked, Katari was red, 

“I didn’t remember all the steps,” she said quietly, Dorian tapped her chin, 

“Don’t you worry!” he said, “That was your first try- you didn’t even fall over or anything!” Katari shrugged, still flushed,

“I suppose not,” she said. 

 

Leliana seemed impressed with Blackwall’s abilities, 

“You waltz very well,” she said “I hope you don’t mind If I excuse myself- Cullen can’t keep hiding forever,” Blackwall chuckled, sparing a glance at Cullen who was making a desperate effort not to make eye contact with anyone,

“Not at all my lady,”  he said, coming to a halt. Dorian -who had seen this in the corner of his eye- was not going to let such an opportunity pass him by,

“Blackwall,” he called, earning himself a death glare from katari “would you mind teaching katari? Josephine needs all the help she can get,” he said, sparing a glance over to Josephine who was trying to help Sera know the difference between a step and a stomp. The warden smiled,

“Not at all,” he said making his way towards them. 

 

Katari flushed as Blackwall placed his hand on her waist, The warden smiled down at her,

“You look lovely, my lady,” he said, she flushed even redder at his compliment,

“Thank you,” she said quietly, trying her best not to stumble as her led her around the floor, apologizing profusely when she stepped on his foot. He had chuckled,

“It’ll take more than a stepped-on toe for you to get rid of me,” he said, the dance continued with only a few missteps onward. 

 

It was Leliana who interrupted them, “Very well done, warden,” she congratulated, “However, I think katari is having some difficulty holding her upper frame, she needs someone…” she looked around the room, “Solas! You’re around the right height,” she called “would you mind dancing with Katari?” she asked, Solas parted from Evelynn with a nod,

“I don’t mind at all, spymaster,” 

 

Blackwall backed away from Katari with a smile, 

“My lady,” he nodded before he went over to dance with Evelyn. Solas greeted Katari with a press of his aura against hers,

“It feels like a long time since I saw you  _ Da’len,”  _ he said, holding out his hand. She took it gently and placed her her hand on his shoulder,

“Indeed  _ Herasi,  _ I have missed our lessons,” she said. Instead of placing his hand on her waist he placed his hand on her upper back, his arm wrapped around her and his fingers splayed slightly. She also stood slightly to the left of him instead of directly in front of him; She wondered if that was how they danced in Arlathan, Solas breathed out a chuckle,

“And the sparring?” he asked, Katari, chuckled,

“Yes and the sparring- I just feel so restless without it,” she said, Solas used his own elbow to lift hers a little higher along with their clasped hands. He was about to start when he sensed her hesitation, 

“Dancing is not unlike fighting,” he said, Katari shook her head, 

“Fighting I can do. I’m a fumbling mess when it comes to dancing,”  she said, Solas tilted his,

“Think about it,” he said “ all you have to do maintain a stance and predict the moves of your partner,” he said, Katari shook her head again. 

“It’s different in a fight… it’s instinctive,” she said, 

“Then don’t think,” he whispered “Just go along with what happens,”  he said gently leading her forward a step, then back. Instead of leading her to the right as Dorian had he immediately began turning them, Katari liked this better; enjoying the way her skirts twirled around her as she moved. Solas spun them round again, His arm stopping her from stepping out to far. Katari found herself tilting her head back a little and lifting her elbow higher- feeling natural with the momentum. They picked up speed as they moved, Katari faltering only when Solas stepped to avoid bumping into Dorian, it resulted in her bumping into Solas chest and a pink blush blossoming into her cheeks,

“Sorry,” she whispered, Solas chuckled,

“Don’t be,” he said before spinning them around once again, Katari began to feel herself lift up onto her toes with every step forward. She frowned,

“This isn’t the waltz they were teaching us,” she said, Solas shook his head,

“No,” he said “we used to dance it back then, at the time they called it the Halamshiral Waltz,” Katari rose a brow, 

“Fitting,” she said, they were practising for the halamshiral ball after all. 

“Indeed,” he said “But they call it something different now,” 

“Oh?” said Katari, 

“Now they call it the rotary waltz,” he whispered, Katari’s eyes widened, 

“You mean…” a mischievous glint flickered in Solas’ eye. He took his hand from her back and spun her under his arm and outward, connected by their joined hands,

“Well done, Katari,” he said before they received a small round of applause. 


	62. shall we dance part 2 (updated)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas account of the dance lessons and tension brewing in the tavern.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! decided to update this chapter so you guys got a bit more than a simple retelling of the last chapter! enjoy!

 

Solas had been glad to end up dancing with Evelyn opposed to someone like Vivienne or Sera but he couldn’t deny his disappointment when the Dorian had swept off with Katari. His time with the small qunari had grown only more valuable in her absence; She was the only person he could be around without constantly having to maintain his facade. Not only that but his extra free time had given him the opportunity to do a lot of thinking and after days of deliberation, he had come to a conclusion. He wanted her to join his cause- not a pawn but as an advisor… and a friend. He was in a world without allies and thought it was about time that he gained a few. Katari was brilliant, a genius even. She had mastered a language in less than two years and he did not think it would be long before she mastered another, she was a fledgling strategist (if their games of chess had suggested anything and had the potential to be a very powerful mage. He figured that he would rather have her as an ally rather than an enemy. There were also more selfish reasons so wanting her to join him, She understood him and empathized with his loss. When she could have offered pity she offered compassion. He had unknowingly longed for comfort and understanding and she had given it to him. He had no idea how or when to tell her but his mind was made up. He had time and he would figure it out. 

 

He had seen Blackwall dancing with Katari in the corner of his eye. The warden was smitten with her- that much was clear- and Katari was at the very least attracted to him. It made him uneasy, should Katari take a lover it would certainly throw a spanner in the works; she would be less likely to leave them to join him. There was something else about such a notion that filled his stomach with lead; Blackwall was a grey warden. He would have to return to his duties as one once all this was over, should the two end up together- Katari would have her heart broken when he left  _ or  _ she would follow him, perhaps even join the wardens herself. The idea of Katari drinking blighted blood made him feel ill. It was a death sentence, she would either die immediately or succumb to the blight many years on. Katari was capable of great things- undeserving of an early grave. While such an idea saddened him she was still his friend and he wanted her to be happy. He would wait, he decided with a heavy heart. Should anything unfold between her and the warden he would hold his peace- she need never know.

 

Then Leliana had asked if he would dance with Katari, he had of course accepted and from the moment he had uttered  _ Da’len  _ he had forgotten his plans. He couldn’t help but feel a little smug at the fact that Blackwall had been too tall for her while he was the right height, feeling something along the lines of  _ That’s right humans, yet another thing I am better than you for.  _ But that, of course, would have been somewhat egotistical. 

He was struck for a moment how elegant her hands were for a pit fighter, her talons hadn’t been trimmed in a while, adding length to the form of her fingers and her palms although somewhat rough were much softer than he had expected- outside of the ring she almost always wore gloves.  He had gotten into the position for the Halamshiral waltz without even thinking, only realizing his mistake after he had noticed Katari’s hesitation. Dancing was unknown to her- intimidating even. 

“Dancing is not unlike fighting,” he had told her, thinking back to the times he had seen her fight and the confidence she had in her body.  He had tried to break it down in such a way that it would make sense to a fighter and when she had said that fighting was instinctive he had gotten his idea. I had been an appealing challenge- to see whether she could dance such a difficult dance using her instincts alone- another opportunity to see into that beautifully complicated mind of hers. She had surprised him when she had taken to it so quickly -even with someone as experienced as him leading her- faltering only once when he had stepped out of Dorian’s path. His sudden step forward had resulted in her stumbling into his chest with a soft thud. The hand on his shoulder had shot upwards, almost curling around his neck, her bosom pressed into his chest and her aura lurching forwards in momentary alarm. A pink stain blossomed onto her cheeks, and she quietly apologized. He was unsure whether it was because of her misstep or because of the intimate position she found herself in, either way, it was amusing and he couldn’t help but chuckle when he told her not to be. Eventually, she had cottoned on to the fact that they weren’t doing the waltz she had been taught and his little trick had come to an end.

“Well done, Katari,” he had congratulated  _ very well done indeed.  _

 

They had parted at the small round of applause, the stain on her cheeks turning red and spreading all the way up to the tips of her ears. 

“Where did you learn that?” asked Vivienne, her eyes narrowed pointed at Solas. The elf in question rose a brow,

“Why the fade of course,” 

 

Katari had gotten changed in her room before heading over to the tavern for the evening meal- she had started spending her evenings with Krem, whose conversations were a relief after a day of Vivienne’s lessons. 

“Katari!” called Krem from their little table in the corner, a bowl of stew already waiting for her. She walked over to the table with a smile,

“Krem,” she greeted before sitting down. 

“I hear you’ve been at dance lessons,” said Krem with a smirk, Katari looked up from her stew.

“A nightmare, that’s what it was,” she said between bites. Krem raised a brow,

“I heard you did quite well actually- you and I should dance sometime,” he said, Katari rose her own brow,

“Didn’t think you were the waltz type,  _ Krem de la creme _ ,” she teased. Krem rolled his eyes at the nickname, but continued earnestly, 

“Nah not that fancy waltzing shit. A proper dance, like a “Strip the willow” or a jig, “a dashing white sergeant” or something,” he said. Katari shrugged,

“Not like we really have the opportunity to dance much,” she said. Krem nodded, 

“True,” he agreed before his eyes lit up “Saturnalia is in two months! There is sure to be dancing then!” he said. Katari chuckled knowing that he wasn’t going to relent,

“Alright, whatever. Saturnalia then,” she agreed. Krem took a drink from his tankard,

“Talking of dancing, Bull hasn’t shut up about sparring with you since you brought it up,” he said, Katari blinked in surprise- she had quite forgotten about their conversation. 

“I will have to make good on my word,” said Katari “Sometime after the ball,” she added, it was unlikely that Vivienne would let her slip away for a spar. “How have things been lately? I feel like I haven’t been in the training yard for months,” she said, drinking from her tankard. Krem sighed,

“Trevelyan’s work in the emerald graves has been securing an alliance with the Dalish,” he said. Katari nodded- it was the only time she was glad to be in skyhold and not out with the inquisitor- Krem continued, “Don’t get me wrong- I have no issue with the Dalish but it means that we have a lot of bigoted humans and a lot of bigoted elves in a small space, it’s a recipe for trouble,” Katari hummed, things had been tenser in the tavern lately, sure the same volume of laughter echoed from the tables but one who visited often enough would notice how people were keeping to their own, giving anyone who wasn’t kin a wide berth. Fittingly, a cold breeze and trouble came walking through the Tavern door.

 

             _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  
  


Trouble of course never seems like trouble when it first appears, that is why little attention was paid to the Dalish woman who walked in. Her hair was short and black, the leather work of her breastplate a bright green and an orange curl adorned the end of her staff- her name was Mihris. After her brief encounter with the Herald in the hinterlands, she had decided to join up herself.

 

Katari was waiting at the bar for their round, it was busy tonight and found herself waiting longer than usual. The Herald’s rest had taken on a few extra serving hands with the recent swell in customers and Katari had become familiar enough with all of them by now, she found herself talking with the elf Alda; the daughter of a Nevarran scout, her accent pleasing and her hair flaxen. 

“I don’t suppose there is any use in trying to get you into my bedchambers is there?” she asked. Katari chuckled, she had grown used to the girl’s antics- confident for a girl of only seventeen winters. 

“You would only get the same response as last time,  _ Fräulein, _ ” she said, She was bold for a woman living in Ferelden, not many would be so bold as to proposition another woman in public, yet it was endearing enough for Katari to learn how to greet her in her own tongue. The elf sighed, plonking down two pints of ale,

“I know, I know.  _ In another life, _ ” she said “do you turn everyone down the same way or am I unique?” she asked, wiping down the bar. 

“You are most certainly unique,” said Katari with a chuckle. She went to pick up their drinks when Krem arrived beside her,

“No wonder it was taking so long,” he said with a quirk of his brow before turning to Alda “She turn you down again?” he asked amused. Alda laughed, halfway down the bar by now, serving another customer,

“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” she said. Krem shook his head, 

“What is it with you and serving girls, Katari? She’s the second one and we only go to one tavern!” he said, Katari chuckled. 

“Many are curious as to what it would be like to lay with a qunari,” she shrugged. She was used to being fetishized by others and her own kind- she was an oddity to both. “I could also because I’m a pit fighter,” she said “Intimidates most men though,” she added as an afterthought. What most people didn’t realize is that qunari could, in fact, smell fear. Her kind had a profound sense of smell and fear was one of the only emotions intense enough to actually smell- though it was often faint enough to be masked by other things- and Katari had sensed trace amounts of it around many onlookers after a fight. Krem scoffed,

“Only  _ weak  _ men,” he said before his expression grew cheeky, “didn’t scare Blackwall off now did it?” he said. Katari flushed a little and was fully prepared to give Krem a verbal thrashing when she felt a presence on her other side, an elven woman was ordering a drink.

“An Oxman?” said the woman, a Dalish twang clear in her voice “didn’t expect many in the inquisition,” she said. Katari shrugged off the name, most didn’t really think before calling her such and there was no hostility in her voice as of yet. Krem snorted,

“Just wait to you see the big one,” he said. The elf blinked in surprise, only just noticing him.

“The Iron Bull? I’ve already met that one,” she said “Met him in the hinterlands with the inquisitor,” she said. That made sense. Krem bumped Katari’s shoulder,

“Katari here is also a part of the inner circle,” he said, “I am Krem,” The elf nodded,

“I am Mihris,” she returned, “So two Oxman in the inner circle?” she said. Katari nodded, 

“Aye. Two qunari, two elves, a token dwarf and a lot of humans,” she said. Mihris nodded,

“Ah yes, I’ve met the flat-ear,” she said, Katari had enough of her slurs,

“Better watch what you call people,” said Katari “it is as unwise as it is unpolite,” she warned softly. Krem hummed in agreement, quickly sensing the atmosphere shift. Mihris turned to face her front on, 

“Are you threatening me shem?” she said, her and on the bar beside her. Katari shot her a lazy glance

“No,” she said “I simply ask that you reevaluate your manners,” the elf frowned,

“Manners? From an ox?” she asked in disdain. Katari rose a brow,

“ _ Ar judala ma,”  _ she said. Mihris’ eyes widened. Katari tilted her head “that’s a threat. See the difference? Now back off,” she said, her eyes sending her a warning in the form of a fixed stare. Krem had been around Dalish long enough to recognize a threat when he heard it and tensed, readying himself in case things should go south. Mihris was turning red, 

“An ox and a flat-ear that speaks  _ our  _ tongue. You make me sick-” Katari decked the elf in the face ...and then all hell broke loose. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh, I do love a good bar fight. you can never go wrong with the Classics!


	63. worth fighting for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the barfight and what happens after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, decided to post another chapter because I'm going to be very busy for the next week and am not sure If I'll be able to update. anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!

Krem had not expected Katari to throw the first punch. For someone so controlled, it seemed very out of character; even in pit fights, Katari would always wait for the other to make a move. Mihris stumbled back like she had been hit with a sledgehammer, her hand flying to her nose in an attempt to stop the blood from going everywhere- clearly, she had not been expecting it either. 

“ _ Fen’harel ma halam! _ ” she threatened, Katari quirked a brow,

“ _ Tel’abelas, _ ” she smirked. Her use of elvhen served only to enrage Mihris even more, she wiped away the blood from under her nose and reached for her staff. The tavern patrons gasped in alarm and found themselves fleeing away from the trio. 

“Bollocks,” muttered Krem under his breath, things had taken a turn for the worst. Katari sent an urgent glace to Alda, who was now shaking against the back wall- eyes wide.

“Fetch seeker Pentaghast- hurry,” she told her before turning back to glowering mage. Alda nodded, fleeing through a side door. By now they had everyone’s attention, some scared others enjoying the show. Krem didn’t have his hammer, there was a warrior without weapons, a qunari and one very angry elven mage,

“Watch it with the magic,” said Krem “There are people in here,” he said, but Mihris only had glares for Katari. 

“You started this fight shem- see it through,” she seethed, Katari was painfully aware of everyone else around them; she only hoped she could stall her long enough for Cassandra to arrive. 

“I started nothing,” said Katari, “I told you to watch your manners and you didn’t,” her tone of voice may have been cool but she stood with her left foot forward and her left arm up- ready for an attack. “If you want to finish something you can meet me in training grounds like everyone else,” she said. Mihris mumbled something beneath her breath before she swung her staff forward to cast a spell but Katari lurched forward knocking it from her hands and across the room; causing the people nearby to scatter away from it as if it was explosive. Krem dashed forward and grabbed it- unsure what else to do in a fight between mages. Mihris rolled on top of her, her palm glowing with the beginnings of fire but the elf was light and Katarti launched herself upwards, sending the elf flying into a wall. She followed after her, pinning her there in the hop to keep her restrained but Mihris clamped her glowing palm onto Katari’s shoulder, a small trail of smoke beginning to float upwards. Katari gritted her teeth, ignoring the heat on her shoulder and kept Mihris pinned. Katari’s nostrils flared at the smell of roasting pork, she grunted when she realized that the smell was, in fact, coming from her skin. Mihris hand had burned through her cloak and neither showed signs of giving up their position, 

“Gah!” Katari groaned, she began to use her aura to push Mihris even harder, the elf’s spell faltering surprise, 

“You’re a mage!” she wheezed. Katari Stared intensely at Mihris, her subtle disorient spells would do little now the elf was on guarding her mind. The spell she used was practically instinctive- though it is one she often refrained from using- Horror. She began forcing horrific images into Mihris mind; snakes and spiders, maggots and lice. This seemed to work for a moment as the elf stopped her thrashing and her eyes widened in horror, but it was soon followed by a defensive burst of her aura, throwing Katari onto her back. Winded, Katari wasn’t quick enough to stop the ice spell that encased her leg, the cold seeping into her muscle like a thousand biting needles. Krem at this moment launched himself at Mihris, giving her a swift blow to the stomach. Katari smashed the ice on the ground and got to her feet, fully prepared to block the oncoming fire spell when Cassandra burst through the door, followed by Cullen. The sweep of the smite sent Katari to the ground, she had never felt one before. 

“What is the meaning of this- Krem, Katari. My office now!”  _ oh dear  _ thought Katari,  _ Cullen is using his serious voice.  _

 

Krem and Katari stood in front of Cullen’s desk, the commander pacing back and forth the length of the room while Cassandra leaned against the wall,

“You two have been a nuisance for the last two weeks!” said the Commander, continuing to pace, “the gambling the- the number of times I find you two smoking behind the stables is quite frankly ridiculous!” Katari got the impression that Cullen was venting about everything and anything. “We can’t have people brawling in the tavern!” he said before he turned to them both, 

“Who started it ?” he asked, 

“I did,” said Katati “I threw the first punch,” she admitted. Shame coloring her features, 

“Is this what happens when you aren’t pit fighting?” asked Cassandra “You start tavern brawls?” she said, her voice stern. Katari said nothing. She strove so hard to be controlled, trying to be a good example of her people and that image that she had tried so hard to build was now shattered. She felt like some sort of savage, unable to control her emotions. Krem rose to Katari’s defense,

“Katari may have thrown the first punch- But Mihris started it,” said Krem, Cullen sighed,

“I’m afraid that I’ve heard that way too many times,” said Cullen pinching the bridge of his nose, “you need healing so I’ve called Solas to-” it was at this moment that Solas entered Cullen’s office, his brows furrowed in concern. “Ah, there he is. I am going to talk to the people in the tavern see what really happened,” he said before exiting the room. Solas tutted,

“I have found myself healing you all too often  _ Da’len, _ ” he said, Katari sat in a chair as Solas (almost reverently) removed her cloak, Inhaling sharply at the hand-shaped burn wound on her shoulder, 

“What happened?” he asked, It was Cassandra who answered. 

“Katari started a fight in The Herald’s rest with another mage,” she said, Solas frowned- that did not seem like Katari at all. He turned to Katari, his hand trailing down her neck to her shoulder, pushing the singed strap of her vest from her shoulder so he could get better access to the wound. Katari flushed a little, ashamed. He knelt in front of her, beginning to heal the burn mark. 

“You did not attack unprovoked,” he said softly, meeting her eye with an intent look. Katari turned her gaze away, 

“Of course not,” she said quietly, Cassandra’s hearing was sharp enough to hear her,

“What did she do to provoke you?” asked the seeker, Katari flushed even redder.

“It is nothing,” she said, causing the seeker to raise her brow, 

“It was clearly not nothing,” she said but did not push the matter any further before leaving the office as well. Fully healed, Solas gently pushed the strap back over her shoulder. He spared a glance at Krem who remained, 

“Do you have any wounds of your own?” he asked. Grateful that Katari had someone to defend her when wasn’t around. Krem shook his head, 

“Only a bruise or two,” he said. Solas nodded before turning back to Katari, 

“Is there anything else  _ Da’len? _ ” Katari glanced down at her leg, 

“There was an ice spell,” she said. Solas sighed, gently lifting her calf and slowly removing her boot, frowning when she hissed in pain. Parts of her skin had turned from white to grey- frost burn. Katari shivered as Solas’s hands held her calf, His long fingers wrapping almost entirely around her ankle, followed by a warm burst of his magic healing the skin. 

“ _ Ma serannas _ , Herasi,” she said. Solas nodded,

“You are welcome, Da’len,” 

 

Solas turned to leave the office after Katari had left but before he could reach the Handle Krem said,

“She started it for you. The bar fight I mean,”  Solas frowned as he turned to the human. 

“What do you mean by that?” he said. Solas was indeed puzzled by the whole situation, Katari was hardly a confrontational person- most times she didn’t even defend herself at times.  _ Why would she-  _

“The elf Mihris, she called you a flat ear. It was you wasn’t it- you were with Bull on that trip to the Hinterlands. She hit Mihris after she called you a flat-ear,


	64. wise words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas talks to wisdom in the fade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been a while, guys! I've been spending a lot of my time studying and the chapter was harder to write than I had initially thought it would be. with no further ado, here it is!

 

Solas had much to consider that evening. He sat at the small fireplace in his room, legs crossed as he gazed into the flames. Katari had gotten into a fight because someone had insulted him and he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about that. One part of him -the teacher- was angry at her, angry at her for endangering herself over an insult that wasn’t even aimed at her. The Dread Wolf was intrigued, hopeful that he had her loyalty. Most interestingly enough there was a third part of him, that felt almost… touched. Katari was the kind of person who only fought with good reason and it seemed that Katari considered him a good enough one. It was a moment before he realized that his lips were twitching.

 

He had not expected to find a friend in a qunari of all people. She had surprised him not only with her wisdom but her humility; she forgave those who scorned her, pardoned those who were ignorant of her people and Solas was ashamed to admit he had been one of them. He had been civil to both Bull and Katari at first, if not for basic decency alone for pragmatism. Katari had been little more than a thing to study- an anomaly who had visions of the future and magic that didn’t act as it should. Over the passing months, however, he had come to see them as something… more- Even Evelyn (a human) had proven to more careful and judicious than he had expected. He had come to realize that the beings of this world weren’t as hollow as he had thought- incomplete perhaps or limited but they were people nonetheless.

 

Even as he tried to go to sleep he could not help but lie awake for a while- feeling that there was something else he needed to unravel.  He drummed his fingers against his chest as he lay awake; usually, it took him no time to slip into the world of dreams. The night air was cool, the warmth fading slowly with the dying embers in the hearth. He rolled onto his side, his eyes searing the stone wall opposite as if it held the answers to his elusive question.  _ Am I overlooking something? _ He wondered. Since a young age, he had trouble discerning some emotions from others or found himself feeling something for reasons he couldn’t explain. He thought back to his reaction to Krem’s admission. He had felt a flicker of… hope? He was hopeful she would join his cause, of course, but he could not help but feel if there was more to it than that. Eventually, his frustration gave way to sleep and he found himself in the fade once more. 

 

He greeted wisdom once he found her,

“ _ on dhea'lam ma' falon,”  _ he smiled. Wisdom tilted her head

“You look troubled, Solas,” she said. He paused for a moment before nodding,

“Yes,” he said “yes, I suppose I am,” he sat with her for a good while, describing all that had happened in the past few weeks. She nodded as he spoke, taking it all in and tilting her head from time to time,

“You were angry at Blackwall when he danced with her?” she asked, Solas frowned, 

“Angry?” he said “No. I wasn’t angry,” Wisdom tilted her head on one side, 

“But you weren’t happy about it,” she said. Solas recalled the dance lessons from the previous week, the warden’s hand on her waist, the shy glances she sent him- a strange tightness began to pull at his chest,

“No, I was not,” he said quietly. He remembered this overwhelming sense of unease, fight or flight instincts beginning to register in his mind. 

“And when she danced with you, you were happy,” she said. Solas furrowed his brows, his silence seemed to be a good enough answer for the spirit. “You like her,” she said, Solas rose a brow,

“Of course I like her- she is my friend,”  he said, unsure as to what the spirit was getting at. The spirit mimicked him, raising her own brow in return,

“Are you attracted to her?” she asked. Solas froze,

“Of course not,” he said, his entire body tensing at the suggestion. Wisdom seemed disbelieving,

“But she makes you _ happy _ and other men showing an interest in her makes you angry,” she said before her eyes lit up with recognition, “you’re jealous!” she accused. 

“I’m  **not** jealous because I am  **not** attracted to her!” he said. Wisdom frowned- unfazed by Solas sudden abruptness- 

“So you find her  _ un _ attractive?” she said. Solas nodded “yes! Well no, Katari is lovely- Wisdom,  _ please,  _ Stop twisting my words,” he had forgotten how adept Wisdom was at getting information. Wisdom seemed unsure as to why Solas was acting so defensive, 

“So, she is  _ attractive _ , she makes you happy, she is intelligent and she is unfazed by what you have told her. I see little reason why you shouldn’t pursue her as a lover,” Solas would later deny that his cheeks turned pink and he scoffed at her suggestion,

“ _ A lover? _ ” he said “I would be lucky to have her as an  _ ally _ once I tell her who I am, what I’ve done… and what I plan to do,” He didn’t want to think about Katari looking at him in horror, disgust or worse yet… betrayal. Wisdom urged on,

“But you want her by your side. Why treat her as an ally when she is clearly something more?” she asked. He turned away from her, 

“It is more complicated than that,” he said “I share a bond with Katari that does not mean that she feels one with I… and there are many reasons why such a relationship would be unwise,” he said. He could feel her gaze at him,

“I think it is fair to say that I have a firm grasp of what is and isn’t wise, Fade-walker,” said Wisdom with a dry expression, “You have been alone for so long Solas, do you not deserve happiness?” she asked, Solas hung is head.

“I deserve many things- happiness is not one of them,”  he said quietly, “and I have not been alone- I have you,  _ falon, _ ” Wisdom placed an ethereal hand upon his shoulder, 

“You may not have been alone, Solas but you have been  _ lonely _ -Katari seems to fill the gap and she must care about you; she fought for you after all,” she reasoned. Solas closed his eyes, 

“She would fight for any of her friends; Bull, Dorian… Blackwall. She would do that for any of them,” he said. Wisdom stepped to stand in front of him, lifting his chin,

“Tell me why you shouldn’t at least consider such an idea,” she said gently. 

“Because she is young, she so young- it would be wrong. It would endanger her, I would be asking her to choose her me over her own people and… she would grow old and die, leaving me alone once again,” he whispered. Wisdom, however, didn’t seem to be buying any of it,

“She is mature enough to make her own decisions. You are already asking her to endanger herself by becoming your ally and you said it yourself- she has the ability to be an incredibly powerful mage, it is possible that with the fall of the veil she may gain longevity,” Solas shook his head,

“I can’t, Wisdom. Just leave it,  _ please _ ,”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! hope you enjoyed this! feed back is welcome as are suggestions!


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